To Be a Warrior
by MyEmeraldTears
Summary: As struggles come and go, Bulma renders herself more useless as the fights fly by. Fed up of being left behind, she decides it upon herself to advance her strength and finally leave the sidelines of battle. However, many trials and hardships obdurate her goal. After all, it's not exactly easy to train with your "married" best friend, whom your harbor your flourishing crush towards.
1. Fleeting Thoughts & Connected Librettos

Hey there, everyone! This is my first DBZ fan fiction, so be a bit easy on me, eh? I've always supported Bulma/Goku, ever since they met, and I never really thought that there was much coverage on their relationship in the manga. So yeah, that's pretty much the reason why I wrote this story.

Now, please, if you guys see any grammatical errors or the like, tell me, okay?

Criticism is accepted and highly appreciated, but flames shall be doused by my cold shoulder. (DOOM)

**PLEASE B****E AWARE THAT THE NARRATOR OF THE STORY CHANGES MULTIPLE TIMES. PLEASE CHECK THE NAMES BEFORE "POV" TO CHECK WHO'S TELLING THE STORY.**

**MILD SWEARING, AND LATER, SOME SEXUAL THEMES WILL EVOLVE. (NOTHING SERIOUS THOUGH~!)**

I do not own any of the Dragon Ball characters, nor am I writing this to gain any kind profit.

Please read and review! All reviews are highly appreciated!

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_**To Be A Warrior**_

_**"As struggles come and go, Bulma finds herself become more useless as the fights go by. Fed up of being left behind, she decides it upon herself to develop her strength, and finally leave the sidelines of battle. But, many trials and hardships await in this quest. After all, it's not exactly easy to train with your married best friend, whom your hold your developing crush towards."**_

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_**~CHAPTER ONE: FLEETING THOUGHTS AND CONNECTED LIBRETTOS~**_

**BULMA'S P.O.V.**

I let the wrench hit the table with a most audible 'clang'. "That's it! I'm so done!" I breathe out, sighing in exasperation at the device I have devoted countless hours on, but refused to work. God, and people say that what I do is easy_. _Hah!_ Easy?! _Banish the thought! Frustrating, on the other hand, would fit the situation much better. You know, sometimes, I wish my trinkets were like men. They "work" when I utter a single word or move a lone body part. But I guess I won't be so lucky with something which was once pieces of scrap metal.

Or maybe I'm just too preoccupied with other things, perhaps such as my newfound _flood_ of thoughts to actually make something which functions.

I turn away from the machinery I was tampering with, wipe some sweat, which had gathered in a small pool as I was working, from off my temples, and flip some of my blue hair behind my back. Pushing off of the bottom of my desk to give me momentum, I swing my chair around to the left window. It's almost the night, which left twilight hanging on the edge, grasping the few moments it has to be seen and bringing the sun down low. The oblivion of the night was already showing from the corners of the sky, and a faint reflection of the moon could already be seen. I prop my elbow, grimy from my earlier work, on the window still, and cup the side of my face with my hand. Breathing out, I let myself meld into the scenery, feeling the wind blow through my hair, gently touching my face and rustling my clothes. I close my eyes, reveling in the feeling.

But this is not enough. My eyes open abruptly. "The sunset is coming soon, right? I want to see it better…"

Feeling a bit risky today, and definitely wanting to enjoy the beautiful weather a bit more, I stand up from my chair, and grasp the windowpane tightly. Summoning some strength, I heft it a bit higher, so I could fit though. Lifting one leg out of my room, I stretch it so it touches the thin protrusion of the outside wall, and drop my weight on it. I follow out with my second leg, and push my body though as well. Grasping any place I can, I skim up the rounded dome of the Capsule Corp slowly and quite _sloppily_, I must say. But hey! It's not my fault if most of my time goes into making myself look _more_ beautiful then I already am. It's not like I climb my house on a regular basis, anyway.

"Ugh…" I mutter, as I struggle the final meters to the middle of the building. Finally making it, I then begin the short trek up the large cylinder to my left, to bring me to the highest point of the building. Throwing my hand over the top's surface, I give myself a small boost on the last ledge to prop myself up. My breathing is heavy, heavier then I thought it would be from such a "simple" task. Well, for monsters like Goku, anyway, I guess, this would be no sweat. But still, this shouldn't tire me out _that _much. Guess I've gotten a tiny bit out of shape.

_**Hah! A "tiny bit" she says!**_

_Shut up._

I stand up on the highest point of the building; Wind's hitting me stronger, and definitely making my temperature drop. Some strands of hair get in the way of my vision, so I flick them off hastily. After all, I wouldn't want to miss the sunset.

Turning my head, so I face the west, I witness the beginning of the long awaited image. The colors of the sky slowly meld into a rainbow, painting a picture only the luckiest could see. Red, orange, yellow, and specks of emerald green explode into the canvas, painted by none other then Mother Nature, and stars begin to show through mildly. All the while, the trees are shifting in a constant pattern scattering leaves to and fro, the wind is blowing a lovely breeze, and the city's noises create a unique pallet of songs. I must say, it's a beautiful moment.

If only the others could be here.

I wonder, would the guys…would Goku, Krillin, Piccolo and the rest…would they feel this everyday as they train in the wilderness? Getting stronger to protect those they love (Though I'm not really sure about Vegeta's intentions, to be honest.), they must come along such beautiful sights daily. Being a city girl, it's a rare and wonderful occasion to even see the sky over the thick cloak of pollution which has settled above our city. Which is why I treasure such moments so greatly. _They_ would probably take such things for granted, wouldn't they? Probably would be too busy training to even take notice there IS a sky. I chuckle lightly to myself, clasping my hands behind my back, and pushing my torso forward a bit.

But, you know…

I wonder how it is.

Being powerful, being able to stand up for what you believe in.

Having others cheer you on in competitions.

Being able to protect those you love.

Being able to fight for the better of the world.

Saving the _universe._

I've never given a mere thought to the idea of being strong.

I never thought it a necessity, something which should have held the utmost importance for me, or at least some importance in the slightest. I mean, what was the use for it, anyway? I've usually been able to get anything I desired using my sex appeal or smooth talking, so it wasn't as if I needed to use brute force to achieve something. If I looked good, if my brains were unrivaled, if I wasn't in danger, I was fine. There was absolutely no problem. I lived like this for a while, I must say, in this simple mind state that others would protect me, that battles and hardships were something I would skip out on, that I _could _skip out on. It's not like I would do much to help, anyway, so I was absolutely okay with staying on the sidelines and cheering the boys on, while I did nothing.

But now, it doesn't seem to be that simple.

Slowly, I close my eyes, and whisper the lyrics to a ridiculously special song my grandmother had taught me when I was little, that we both wrote ourselves. It was our special melody, our own lyrics, and a piece that only we knew, out of the whole world. But now she's gone, I guess, and I'm the only remaining person who knows it. Unless someone's been around me long enough to memorize it, but, wow, what a thought.

I sing softly, somewhat sadly.

"_As doors close slowly, _

_You'll find yourself stranded._

'_Choosing' your path, your destiny._

_But it seems, unfortunately_

_The silver threads, which hold _

_Together your fate_

_Are slowly tearing at the seems._

_And you try, you strive, to connect them. _

_But, it useless. They are broken._

_There's no way to fix them._

_What do you do? What do you do?_

_Upon your pillow, safe in bed,_

_It comes to you, your destiny._

_Everything is just a dream._

_Nothing is reality._

_What do you do? What do you do?_

_Is fate something you can escape?_

_You would give anything to know_

_The future_

_So you could change it, so you could mold it._

_To hold your life in your hands._

_What would you do? What would you do?_

_With fate, with destiny, with predestination._

_What do you do? What do you do?_

_With the future."_

The sun now completely gone, the colors in the sky start to fade to a dark blue, only getting darker as the time passes. The stars shine blindingly now, and the moon hangs as a luminescent crescent in the middle of a black canvas, only providing further evidence at the shift in time. I plop down onto the cylinder, and lie down comfortably, gazing at the stars as they grow brighter and brighter by each passing second. I sigh heavily.

My moods, my thoughts and ideas and everything else…now they are changing as fast as the sky.

What brought on this sudden change in me? Why did I, all of a sudden, _desire _the need for strength so strongly-

Ah.

I know why.

"It…was horrible…"

It was downright _horrible._ Watching Goku sacrifice himself to the point of not being able to lift a finger, watching countless friends die, all at the hands of one man…

Frieza.

What a fight that was. One man, rendering Goku almost completely useless…rendering almost _all_ of us useless. If he wasn't bad enough as a ridiculously strong opponent, after being beaten by a pissed Goku, he just _had_ to go and blow up a whole fucking planet.

Like, seriously?!

As everyone tried as hard as they could…as everyone suffered grave wounds and some died…when the little boy, who had done everything in his power to protect me when we were little, that same little boy who grew up to be a dashing young man, and quite a powerful one too…when that man almost gave up his _life_, to protect us, and all I could do was _watch_, you better believe I never felt as horrible as I ever have during that time. And when we thought he died…when we thought he was gone for good, I felt a sensation which I could never comprehend. Sure, I was sad and all when Yamcha died, but he could've been revived. Goku, on the other hand? If he actually died then, he would've been gone.

_ Gone._

And that's when a change sparked in me. That's when I started to re-think things a bit. About my current situation. About everything I've become.

How could I _ever _consider myself a part of their group if I didn't do anything to aid their goal, besides make the occasional contraption? How could I call myself a Z fighter? It wasn't right.

"So…why don't I become strong?" I mutter sarcastically. Never mind _that _thought. It's not like anyone would even want to take me under his or her wing, anyway, and train me. My beauty would distract them too much, even if they did agree, so I might as well give up on it. Out of everyone, though I think the only person who would even _bother _to try to train me would be Goku.

But he's gone now. Traveling space like nobody's business, probably enjoying himself, knowing the fool. I smile a bit, remembering his goofiness.

But, if what he said was true, then he should be coming back soon, in maximum a month.

…Wait…?

Only a month?!

My smile lights up ridiculously bright, as my memories of the fool come flooding in. He's coming soon!

I'm sure the others will be thrilled when I tell them! I'm sure _Chi-Chi, _though, would have other thoughts. More _murderous_ thoughts, on how to discipline her husband.

But you know…I've been thinking…

What are the feelings that I hold towards the boy? Love, infatuation, or attraction…? I know I should be dating Yamcha, I know things haven't been broken off with him yet, but…We constantly fight and bicker like nobody's business, our relationship is not a healthy one in the slightest, especially not when my heart could be swaying towards another.

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that Goku is married, I understand he has a child and a wife, but I still pertain that small (Or maybe not so small.) crush on him when I saw him grown for the first time. My oh _my _did he grow. And into quite a handsome big thing, too.

It's a shame he had to get married to such a woman.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't have much against Chi-Chi. On the contrary, I think she can be very sweet when she wants to. But, I find her relationship with Goku off.

Being frank here, is their marriage really based off of love?

To start off, her love for Goku was held by a small childhood crush when she was probably around 10. And, I find it a tad bit ridiculous that she first felt these feelings because Goku, who was ignorant and stupid at the time, performed a "pat-pat" on her, to figure out if she was a girl. I mean, I gain interest in men quite fast, but never over something as stupid as that.

And if that's not the only thing, she practically forced Goku to marry her; by claiming it was a childhood promise. Why would she hold something for so long after being so young and naive? Taking advantage of the fact that Goku can never turn down a promise, she married him kind of against his thoughts. I mean, seriously? Goku though the word marriage meant "food" the whole time, and you _still _uphold the promise?

And now, you should see her yell at the poor thing. Goku gets reprimanded for _breathing, _the way I see it. And, he's scared of his wife, to top it all off.

You're not supposed to be scared of the one you "love"! You're supposed to lovethe person you "love"_! Which is why you got married, right?! _

Which brings me to another point.

Gohan.

I have no doubt Chi-Chi loves Gohan, but I see many cracks and holes in her relationship with Goku, concerning the kid. For example, when Goku had gotten battered almost to death in the battle between him and Vegeta, Chi-Chi, after coming down the aircraft, which I piloted, rushed over, and only paid attention to Gohan, who suffered only bruises and cuts. In fact, after doing nothing, she even had the audacity to scold Goku on saving _her and the planet's hides_. And in the hospital, when Goku was put in a casket and had to deal with his massive fear of needles, all Chi-Chi did was mock him and walk out the room, paying no attention to the fact Goku was screaming louder then when doing an attack.

And what is this about Gohan's studies? Like, look, I understand that being educated is a must, and I know how Chi-Chi would feel about the issue. I mean, hell, I don't want my child, whenever I get him or her, to be an uneducated little sprat. But it doesn't mean I'm going to practically beat my husband up over it, both verbally and physically. I mean, sheesh, when Gohan and Goku both agree that the kid needs to get stronger for the sake of the world, how can you argue back that his studies are more important? I just don't get it.

And I, myself, can see and feel Goku breaking apart slowly, one piece at a time, deteriorating, his will to fight breaking, and his thirst for adventure. I may be the only one to notice though, but Chi-Chi is sucking the life out of our little monkey man.

My eye twitches in annoyance, but I hold in the scream building up in my throat by smiling.

Infatuations are never easy. But I shouldn't be concerned much with that. After all, I have Yamcha! My smile cracks a bit. Inside of me, I feel a bit of disgust build up behind my broken grin.

_God, okay. Fine then, brain. Be like that._

Never mind all that, I should be happy Goku's coming in the first place. Not only that, but now I have a chance to become stronger, both mentally and physically!

It's only until then, that I must endure being weak.

"Soon Bulma…" I whisper to myself. "Soon…"

And in the sky, the light of one star died out, never to be gazed at again.

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**GOKU'S P.O.V.**

"And now…to end my training for today…" I skim the area, looking for a decent sized rock. "Ah! Found one!" I gear up, ready to fight an intense battle with a inanimate object. I chuckle a bit at my situation, before I resume my fighting stance. "Hai!" I send a powerful kick onto the rock, watching as the shockwave erupts, and the stone crumbles into many pieces. "Now, for some wood." I jump onto the rubble, and launch myself higher then the clouds, looking for a tree. Using the velocity from my height, I rush down and form my hand into a chop formation. Coming close to the trunk of a tree, I swipe my hand forward, and cut it up into decent sized pieces, landing on my feet gracefully. The chops of wood, which once belonged to the tree, fall down in perfect stacks. Collecting my belongings, I walk over to the rubble, and collect some decent sized stones, and put them in my large sac, hanging over my back. I do the same with the wood, collecting the best parts. "This should make a decent fire, I think!" Then, I begin my trek back my temporary home, which I currently reside in. "Whoo, okay! That should be enough for today!" My breath, which is coming out in slightly strained intervals, slowly begins to regenerate back to its normal state.

"Almost done with this planet, eh?" I laugh heartily. "I can't wait to go back home! Only, what, 8 days?" My stride becomes a bit slower, as I let myself get caught up in the scenery, and whistle to myself a soft, jolly tune. "This planet was certainly a weird one!" The gravity was 20 times Earth's, so it wasn't much of a challenge. But the people were nice, there were many places to train, and animals to "train" with. Although the folks themselves were quite peaceful, I did learn many usefully tricks from them, like Instant Movement. I'm sure that will come in handy in the future. "Heehee…I wonder if they're thinking of me. Krillin, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Piccolo, Chiaotzu, The Turtle Master, Vegeta, Yamcha, Tein, and…Bulma." I let the last name linger on my lips for a bit, for a reason unbeknown to me. Her name, even though everyone's does, makes my usual smile shine a lot brighter. I feel my heart throb a bit, wanting to see her. Ignoring the feeling, I continue on my walk. "Haha, I can't wait to see everyone again!"

Suddenly, I freeze.

"Oh _god _no."

My wife. "Chi-Chi is gonna _kill _me for being away this long!" I start to stress, pacing back and forward, "Oh god, am I gonna _get _it. I'm gonna get it _so _bad." I place my hands on my head, and start pulling at my hair, fretting about, nearly tripping on nothing as I scurry around. "I'm screwed, I'm screwed, I'm screwed, I'm screwed…!"

But suddenly, I stop abruptly.

A very familiar voice pops up in my head, his words I practically live by.

"_When the time comes, marriage is something you should always be careful with. Girls will deceit you in many ways to gain your hand in marriage, whether it be for your good looks, which I'm sure you'll gain, your power, or your money, heavens sake, if you even get a job. Just…make sure you marry someone who you really, honestly, truly love, someone who's been there for you the whole time, someone who you hold closer to you then anyone else."_

My mouth hangs open for a bit. "I didn't really understand his words then, but now Grandfather's quote thingies actually make sense." I ponder this for a bit. "Someone I really love, eh…Well, I love everybody, so I guess it's fine! I mean, you can't marry everyone!" Even though my thoughts had been "cleared", a feeling of uncertainty lingers in my gut until I get "home".

"…8 days, huh…?" I clutch my shirt tightly, dreading my return to face the wrath of Chi-Chi, and these new thoughts, popping out of everywhere.

I…I need to stop worrying about things. Everything's fine!

So, slowly, I release my tension, softly singing my favorite tune to help me get over these negative thoughts.

"_As doors close slowly, _

_You'll find yourself stranded._

'_Choosing' your path, your destiny._

_But it seems, unfortunately_

_The silver threads, which hold _

_Together your fate_

_Are slowly tearing at the seems."_

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**There you go! If you liked it, please read and review, and give me a favorite sometime, eh? **

**Thank you guys for reading! Until next chapter~**


	2. A Bittersweet Reunion

Hey, all! I'm back, with another chapter~

So, yeah, the story's finally kicking off! About time, too!

**I own none of the characters, nor do I own the Dragon Ball Universe. **

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Okay, some reviewers left a review, but because they were a guest, I wasn't able to get back to them. I'll respond here:

**TO LXS: **I agree with your points full on. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, and I'll try to include those suggestions in my story as much as possible. Thank you for your help!

**TO YURI KAZAMA: **Thank you! I'll continue bringing those chapters out!

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Plus, guys, please, if you like my story, please don't be afraid to drop a review or too, yeah? I respond to all of them, and hold these very close to my heart, no matter how dramatic it sounds.

**IMPORTANT: __****Not everything in this chapter is canon. Please understand that the plot will not be exactly the same as in the actual manga, and that there will be some changes.**

Well, without further ado, enjoy!

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~CHAPTER TWO: A BITTERSWEET REUNION~

**BULMA'S P.O.V.**

It happened so suddenly.

8 days after I had spent that beautiful night on the roof, gazing at the stars, thinking over everything, realizing the great news about my best friend, and some not so great news about my relationship with the one I "love", it just happened.

I couldn't even predict what would happen next.

The phone call scared me. Everyone, yelling, screaming, telling me to get ready for battle, to be ready for a ridiculously strong opponent. I questioned them, I pleaded for answers on who this might be, what we're going to be facing. They told me to gather my belongings, to bring anything that I could use in the battle of the century, and hastily spewed out the name. Honestly, I don't think they expected me to come. And if I did, I was to leave almost immediately, after dropping off what I could contribute to the battle, like machinery. Hell, I could already foreshadow Vegeta telling me to get the hell away. But, they needed all the people they could get.

After all, we were heading straight into a fight with the "thing" which had caused us so much trouble before, which had killed some of our own, which made many of our lives a living hell.

Frieza was back.

And seeking for revenge, at that.

On board the aircraft, I sit on the pilot seat, clutching my knees to my chest, shivering in fear, all while attempting to steer the craft. _Frieza was back? And not only that, Krillin, Yamcha and the others had detected two major ki levels, not one? How could this be?_ "Ahaha, I can _hardly _wait." I mutter in thick sarcasm. Pu'ar, who decided to accompany me on the way there, speaks, his voice filled to the brim with concern.

"Bulma, are you alright?" His ears shift a bit downwards, as he ruffles his blue fur a bit. "You seem a bit worried."

I tilt my head a bit upwards, and smile softly at Pu'ar. "I'm scared, yes. But I know we'll be fine." My grin becomes larger, even though it threatens to break. "We can count on the guys. Trust me when I say that." Pu'ar's apprehension fades a bit, but his face still shows miniature creases of worry.

_I guess we're all a bit nervous, huh? I mean, this is the man who racked massive amounts of havoc in our lives before. Anybody who had come in contact with Frieza would naturally be scared at his next appearance. _I run my hand through my hair sluggishly. _ Even Goku or Vegeta. And how could he come back? I thought he was decimated with the destruction of Namek…_

"Oi! Bulma, there!"

I gasp, catching myself lost in my thoughts, and look once more at Pu'ar, who's climbed up to the front of the aircraft. Now jumping, he's pointing, or attempting to, at a collection of people, gathered in a huddle. The area we're above rivals a desert in the lack of life and movement. All I see is a cluster of rock and sand, put together to make ruins and possible mountains. It seems as a perfect place to start the decimation of Earth, which is another hint that Frieza could be invading here. I move the ship lower through the air, cutting the wind, until I've come close enough to identify those who're here. I reach across the vast amount of buttons, and click the one that opens the hatch to the door. Pressing it firmly, I watch as the door unhinges itself, and opens. "C'mon, Pu'ar."

I stand up from my seat, and put my hand on Pu'ar's back. "It's okay. We'll be fine." I smile once more. "I'm sure of that."

I walk to the door, now open, and ready my self to jump out. Swiftly, I run forward, and leap out of the ship, sailing through the air gracefully, and landing on the ground quite skillfully. I chuckle to myself. Maybe I'm more capable then I thought!

I don't have much time to dwell in my state of voluntary arrogance, because I receive an automatic startled reaction from my "comrades." Meanwhile, Pu'ar runs to Yamcha, who I don't even bother walking up to, for personal reasons. He doesn't seem to care, so I continue on my way. After all, I have a stubborn dumbass to deal with.

Vegeta's groan could be heard from miles away.

"Why is _she _here?!"

"Oh, _grow up!" _I retort. "I'm here to see Frieza, not _you_."

"And obviously, you're oblivious to the danger you just put yourself in, right?"

I scoff. "Don't be stupid! I know clearly how much danger I'm in! But I'm not missing this chance." I explain, using my hands to emphasis just how important this was for me. Vegeta tilts his head in confusion.

"Bulma…I didn't think you would actually come." Came Piccolo. I pivot around to face him, sending a quick hi, as do I with Yamcha, who has just noticed my presence. Hah, what a guy.

"Hmph…"Vegeta sighs once more, as he tries once again to prove his bottomless dislike for me. "Well, you better get out of here, and fast. You'll only prove to be a nuisance, as usual."

I put my hands on my hips, offended. Leaning forward, I inch closer to the Saiyan Prince. "Excuse me! I can be _quite _useful the group if I want to! I'm skilled in my own way!" When I say "quite", I make sure to give Vegeta a short flick on the nose. He swats my hand away instantaneously.

Vegeta scoffs. " 'Skilled' in what? The '_Art of Seduction_'?!"

I'm about to retort a nasty remark when Piccolo ends our childish bantering with a wave of his hand and a cold glare. "Now is _not _the time for this. " He echoes. "Be aware of the faults in your foes, Bulma, not in your…" He looks Vegeta up and down, looking for the right word. "…Primitive comrades."

I die of laughter.

Before Vegeta got the opportunity to rip Piccolo in half, Krillin and Gohan come from the sky, landing with a soft thud besides me, scuttling the dust everywhere. "Oi." Greets Krillin. I give him a pat on the back, and a soft wave.

"Hey there." I echo back, then turn to look for Gohan. He's already squeezing the life out of Piccolo by forcing him to endure the strongest bear hug in, possibly, the universe. Piccolo, although seemingly uncomfortable, has a small smile placed upon his lips. If we weren't a couple minutes away from our supposed death, I would've taken a mental snapshot of this.

Soon after, Tein and Chiaotzu arrive, looking quite elated to see us, despite the reason for our gathering in the first place. Putting matters aside, we all catch up with each other's lives. Most have been training harshly, but Gohan has been focusing on his studies as of late. I can definitely see, though, that he's gotten stronger, and his words and stance definitely prove that. He runs up, once he notices me, and hugs me tightly, saying things ranging from he missed me to I need to help him study. I laugh as he says the latter. Hah! We might as well be having a _picnic _the way things are going.

A deafening crash resonated behind us.

Despite myself, I let out a small yelp, as each and every one of us is snapped out of our somewhat jolly mood.

Vegeta, being his usual stoic self, though with a bit of fear lacing his voice mutters softly, "He's here."

"_What?!" _The rest of us shriek.

"…A-already?" I whisper. "Goku isn't even here…" I tremble a bit, squeezing together my hands. Maybe Vegeta was right, I guess. I shouldn't have come, if I'm scared at the mere mention of Frieza. Looking around the arsenal of fighters, it seems we have enough to possibly stall Frieza and the other for a bit.

"Hnn…" Krillin mumbles. "Well, shall we go? The Earth ain't gonna save itself."

"…Lets."

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**GOKU'S P.O.V.**

"S-Shoot!" I scream, inside my pod, heading towards Earth at a blinding speed. "Frieza and his dad have already arrived?! How could he be so fast?!" I bang a bit at my surroundings. "Damnit! Go faster!"

Suddenly, my heart jumps, my mind becomes more alert, and I can focus on the ki of my opponents (And comrades) even clearer. "I'm close to Earth…" I suck in my breath. "Pod thingy! How much longer until I arrive to Earth?!"

"_Around 10 minutes, master."_

"Tsk! Will I be in time?!"

_Just wait, Bulma, Gohan, Krillin, Vegeta, and you guys…just hang in there until I arrive!_

* * *

**BULMA'S P.O.V.**

By the time we got within view point of Frieza, the battle was almost over. Down, below where we we're standing, was a sight which none of us could have expected.

A boy, a single, teenager boy, was holding his ground against Frieza's minions, Frieza himself, and his father.

He was a Super Saiyan.

And he wasn't Goku.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Seeing such things were so surreal, so appalling. The boy moves fast, dodging attacks with blinding speed, and gets ready to attack. He was so ridiculously quick, within a blink's time period, he went from the defensive to the offensive. Suddenly, Frieza was cut into dozens of pieces, his blood being thrown everywhere, surrounding the victor of the minute battle, and the father of the loser. Words are exchanged, but we were too far away to understand, much less comprehend it. We start to make our way closer. Outraged, the father charges the mysterious boy, ready to decimate him, and apparently surely believing he could win. But it was obvious that Frieza's father couldn't beat his opponent. The boy raised a hand nonchalantly, and in seconds, an extremely powerful blast of ki wiped the alien from existence.

Flabbergasted, we all stand silent, hardly believing what we just saw, some of us pinching our cheek to check if this was still reality.

"H-How…?!" I turn around, to face the speaker. "How could this be?!" Vegeta stutters. Under his breath, he murmurs. "So Kakarot isn't the only one who can go Super Saiyan…?"

"He…He did just go _Super Saiyan, _right?" Gohan barely makes out, asking to see whether he had seen correctly.

I gulp. "Y-yes. But I don't think he's our enemy. He did, after all, just save the Earth."

Said boy looks up, his golden hair now a light shade of purple, falling down in somewhat of a bowl cut, but flows softly against his face. Seemingly oblivious to us, he still faces the ruins of battle, but abruptly turns our way.

I catch a shriek just before it erupts, as his eyes meet each and every one of ours carefully. I could've sworn his gaze lingered a bit longer on me, blushing, and then went to the rest of them. _Funny...he seems a bit familiar. Like a stubborn hard head I know and hate. _I glance over to Vegeta, but don't see a massive resemblance at a second look. But there still are some similar features. Such as that constant glare, which had me thinking that the two bore resemblance at all in the first place.

He speaks, knocking me out of my daydream immediately. "You guys are waiting for Goku, right?"

_What?! How did he know?_

"How do you know Goku's name? And how do you know we're his friends?" I question, switching my voice one of interrogation.

His gaze lingers downwards as soon as I speak, blushing once more, leaving me tilting my head at his odd reactions and lack of an answer.

"I…" His voice lowers tremendously, and I have to strain forward to hear it somewhat clearly. "…I have my…connections, if you may. But that's not important right now." He begins to get louder. "Goku should be here in around 3 hours, over a bit to the west. Come with me, I'll take you there!"

"Just _how_ do you know all this?" Piccolo questions. "Who are you, and where do you come from?!"

"Details aren't necessary. Just trust me…" He looks over to me once more. "I won't let you down." Under his breath, I could've sworn he said mom.

* * *

**GOKU'S POV**

"…The ki of Frieza! It's gone?! There's no way everyone could have taken care of hi-" I gasp, as another massive ki level is wiped out.

"And that was Frieza's father? He's gone too?! What's happening down there?!" I look around at the pod, tracking down how long we had left. When I couldn't comprehend the odd texts and phrases being thrown around, I decided to ask myself. "Oi, pod thingy! How much longer now?!"

"_2 more minutes, master."_

"Already? Perfect!"

In order to occupy myself for the meanwhile, I pull at some of the odd clothing I'm wearing a bit hesitantly. A scarf around my neck, an odd vest with an odder undershirt, ridiculously baggy pants, and some weird shoes, eh? What kinda attire is this?! "Oh my god Bulma is gonna _freak _when she sees me in this!"

"_One minute left, master. Please prepare for landing."_

I look outside my window; to catch Earth in all it's glory, getting nearer and nearer by the second. _I'm here. I'm finally home!_

"Alright! Here we go!"

With a tremor, the pod enters the atmosphere, becoming faster as it nears closer to the surface. I look outside to see a trail of fire streaking from behind the vehicle as we gain momentum, and I prepare myself for a harsh landing.

"_30 seconds left."_

The pod begins to shake violently, starting to have me panic a bit. I look outside once more, and trying to make much of the speeding landscape, I can barely make out a few machinery and rubble, scattered in the "bare" wasteland where Frieza was heading, but ultimately met his final fate. I skim past that area ridiculously fast, without giving me the opportunity to notice much more, before I collide with the solid ground of the Earth, finally home, finally where I belong. Shaking a bit from the cruel landing, I wait a few before I attempt to open the hatch of the machinery. The hatch pops open without a care in the world.

I stand up, and almost immediately do I get hit with a greeting "Look! Guys! There he is!" Comes an absurdly familiar voice. I turn around, to see everyone, literally, rushing towards me to capture me in a hug. I flinch a bit as body after body is flung at me with frightening speed, almost scaring me as much as how they were able to deduce my exact location and timely arrival to Earth perfectly. After I struggle and remove everybody from off of me, comes the immediate giggle from Bulma.

"Goku…What the hell are you wearing?!" She starts to laugh, as do the rest as they see my absurd (But forced) choice in clothing. I laugh sheepishly, and scratch the back of my head, embarrassed.

"Oh, wait!" I exclaim. "How did you guys know where I was going to land, and when it would happen?! I don't get it!"

Krillin steps forward a bit, and points behind him to a young teenager, a sword strapped to his back, hair flowing in the wind, a light lavender, with sharp eyes and a strong stature.

Not only that, but his ki, which is being suppressed for the most part, is huge.

He steps forward, and motions to me. "Hello, Mr. Goku. I've heard so much about you." He puts his hand forward for a shake. I agree, but quickly get back to my additional question.

"Do I know you? You seem to know me, and everything about my trip."

He laughs. "If you may, could we talk over there, away from…" He glances backwards, particularly at Bulma. I feel my heart twinge a bit. "…unsuspecting ears?"

I see no harm in that. "Sure, why not."

* * *

We hope over to a structure far away from the others, so our conversation could go unnoticed and unheard by the others.

He speaks with glee. "I've wanted so long to meet you, Mr. Goku!"

I tilt my head again, asking with a bit of apprehension. "Once more, how do you know me?"

"Oh, that's not important. But, if you could do something for me…" He tries. Understanding I won't get an answer out of him, I give up questioning him. But he asks something which makes the questions rise even higher.

"Could you go Super Saiyan?"

…._What._

"You know about that too?!" I exclaim. It's hard keeping the smile off my mouth. This boy certainly is interesting!

"Yes, but please grant my request. I have a specific reason for it."

I ponder this for a moment. "I guess. But you have to tell me who you are, after." I confront. Hey, well, if he wants something, I'm gonna ask something in return. I smile as he nods his head in agreement.

"Well, alright then." My smile grows larger, as I collect my ki through my body. Abruptly, I blast it high enough so the familiar golden energy surrounds me, getting brighter and more powerful by the second. I feel my hair raise up to its position, and my eyes begin to shift into their turquoise. When the transformation is complete, I hear the others, who're still back where we left them, questioning as to why I turned Super Saiyan. Hell, I don't even know myself.

"Amazing…" The boy mutters. He, himself turns SS, shocking me a bit. Not only was he a Saiyan, he could progress past the point of Vegeta at such a young age. Quite impressive.

Suddenly, he unsheathes his sword, preparing to swing at me. Everyone in the back gasps as I don't move and he throws his sword downwards with tremendous speed, which could cut me in half like a knife through butter. Yet, he comes just short of killing me.

Flabbergasted, he pulls the sword up, quite confused at my action, or lack of it. "Why didn't you move?!"

My smile begins to develop into a smirk. "Heh, well, because of the habitants of the planet I was just on, I was able to gain the ability to sense the emotion in your ki. You didn't show a speck of hostility, so I was able to tell you wouldn't be able to strike me."

He gapes at me for a moment, before he pulls backwards once more, pulling his sword up. "Fine…you really are amazing, aren't you. Well, I won't make that mistake twice." I feel a rise of malice in his ki, and I know he's attempting it this time. _So be it. _

He swings powerfully, as I raise my pointer finger to block it. I stop it dead in his tracks, without putting much power into my block. Once more, he is shocked beyond the belief of words. He tries again, multiple times, and I block each hit with the same finger, not even stepping backwards or using another part of my body to defend myself. This goes on for around half a minute before he gets tired, and ultimately gives up.

"You…you're everything that I've heard about you…Wow…" He gapes in disbelief.

I laugh heartily. "Well, yes. I've been training for a while now. So…"

"Yes, yes, I'll tell you who I am. But first, you must promise to believe everything I say, okay?" I nod my head in agreement, and he begins to speak. "Well, you see, I actually don't come from here, in present Earth, as you guys would believe. I come from the future." Already, the story seems a bit farfetched. But, I continue to listen, as there was no dishonesty in his ki. "My name is Trunks, and in my time, we're to the point of a post-apocalypse." I gasp.

"…H-how?!"

"Androids. Ridiculously powerful ones, too. They're as heartless and cruel as a robot, though, and spared no mercy to anyone."

"…But…what about me? Did I die mid-battle?! Did I die in the battle, Trunks?!"

"No…you never even fought."

"_W-What?!" _

"You contracted a heart disease, and passed away before you even had a chance to raise a finger in protest to the Android's actions. There was no cure at the time, so not even a beast like you could've survived it."

"…You mean…I'm going to die soon?!"

He nods. "Yes. If I hadn't come here." He pulls out a small vile, twirling it in between his fingers. "In this holds the cure for the disease you will contract. Take it immediately as you feel the slightest symptoms. In fact, you ought to take it once you go."

"When will this happen."

He spews out the date and approximate time.

"So we've a _lot _of time for this event, eh?"

"I suppose. You should train your hardest, though. These enemies aren't easy to beat."

I stay silent for a while.

Then, suddenly, "…So, what are you?" I blurt out. "I mean, Vegeta, Gohan, and I are the only Saiyans left, and judging from your age, I don't think you're Gohan's son. I mean, you _are _a Saiyan, right?" He nods. "So…who's your father?"

"Well…I'm actually not sure."

"Sorry, what?! You're not?!"

"Well, yes. Both you and Vegeta were dead before I was even old enough to remember having a father."

I gulp. "I…I see."

"But, it's most likely is Vegeta. That's what mother told me. I just don't exactly see the time frame making much sense. And she _was _particularly fond of you, I guess. When she spoke of you, her whole face just lit up!"

I tilt my head? "Really?!"

Trunks chuckles, and smiles. "Yes, why, she even constructed the time machine for me not only to save your life and to prevent the apocalypse from happening, but so I could meet you in particular, and see why she likes you so much."

I stare in shock at his words. "Wait, wait! Do I know you mother?! Like, now?!"

He nods. "Why yes. In fact, she's standing over there."

I completely lose it.

Utterly shocked, I lose all of my ability to balance on my feet, and fall backwards, landing on the floor roughly. My thousand words are caught in my mouth, unable to come out, leaving me stuttering like an idiot and grasping for the ability to express my massive surprise. "_B-B-Bulma's your m-mother?!" _I exclaim in utter disbelief.

Trunks, not fazed by my odd behavior, merely nods. I shakily stand up, still in shock, when the gears in my heads start working.

"_So…who's your father?"_

"_Well…I'm actually not sure." _

"_Sorry, what?! You're not?!"_

"_Well, yes. Both you and Vegeta were dead before I was even old enough to remember having a father."_

_. "I…I see."_

"…_. And she was particularly fond of you, I guess. When she spoke of you, her whole face just lit up!"_

"_Really?!" _

"_Yes, why, she even constructed the time machine for me not only to save your life and to prevent the apocalypse from happening, but so I could meet you in particular, and see why she likes you so much."_

Does this mean…there is an actual possibility that I…_father Trunks?!_ It…it couldn't be! I'm married to Chi-Chi! And Bulma said against it in the first place!

But…

"_She was particularly fond of you…"_

"_When she spoke of you, her whole face just lit up!"_

" _...to see why she likes you so much."_

This…could this actually happen?!

"Oi! Come on guys! You're keeping us waiting!" I turn around, to see Bulma waving at us enthusiastically, not impatient, but rather happy, in fact. I feel my heart swell a bit, and I whisper out a hushed plea to it to quit changing on me all the time.

"Well, as our talk is over now, I suppose I should head back."

"Wait, what? Already?!"

"Yes, of course! I have to go back and protect mother from the Androids!"

_Ah…he's taken my place as her protector. _I smile. _Well, if I pass, at least she's in capable hands._

"Alright, well…when will you be coming back?" I tilt my head, to get a better look at everyone ushering us over to where they're standing.

"Meh…not for a while."

"What?! Why not?!"

"Well, it takes a lot of power to travel through time, so once I head back, it'll take a _long _time for the time machine to recover energy it needs to make another trip. I'll see if I can come at around the time the androids do. " He grins enthusiastically. "But I don't think I'm so worried, now."

I smile, and take the vile from him, eyeing it carefully. "No…neither do I."

He waves good-bye, and takes off with a powerful push towards the sky, and behind us, where the supposed time machine is held. The others gasp as he disappears suddenly without warning them. I fly over to them, as they plead me with questioning eyes. "What happened? Where did he go?" Krillin questions.

"That's not important. Guys, listen up."

* * *

I explain to them the supposed events, everything from the Androids almost decimating everyone on Earth, to my supposed death before I could do anything to help, of course, leaving out the part of Bulma having Trunks, and the father of the child being unknown. They're flabbergasted, to say at the least.

"A-Are you sure he's telling the truth?" Tein questions.

"I'm 100 percent sure. He didn't show any speck of lying in his ki." I reply back.

"Then…then the Earth is in more trouble then before." Krillin shakily spews out. He clutches his hands tightly.

"Yeah, that's true." I shake the vile in my hand. "And it seems, at the strength I'm at now, we won't be able to do anything about it. Even if I don't die from the disease." I look down at my hands, one empty, and one holding the antidote for my supposed heart disease. "We need as many able fighters as we can get." I explain, gesturing to Krillin, Gohan, Piccolo, Tein, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Vegeta. I can sense Bulma twitch a bit as I skipped over her, and before, when I said the sentence in the first place. As she always has these unpredictable moments, I ignore these gestures for the meanwhile.

Yamcha turns around and mentions to us it's getting late. "We should head back now, right?"

Krillin nods. "I agree. We might as well take the remainder of the day off, I guess, to think things over."

The rest say "aye" in agreement, and start to head back to where they parked the aircraft. I turn to start walking as well, but a delicate hand grasps mine. I turn around, to find Bulma peering at me from beneath her bangs. "Oi, Goku, I have a favor to ask of you."

I turn around fully, my eyes curious and open as I search for some kind of opening as to what it might be. What she says next defies all of my expectations for a possible question.

"Could you train me to become stronger?"

I propel my head closer, in case I had heard incorrectly. "What? Me? Train _you?!"_

She lets go of my hand, and puts her hands on her hips, blowing air out of her nose in frustration. "What? Do you think I'm _that _unfit that I can't go along in a simple training routine?!"

I step backwards a bit, put my hands in front of me and shake them a bit. "No! No, I didn't mean to imply it that way, but…when did you even start to _care_ about being strong?"

She looks down after I said my question, clasping her hands together in front of her chest a bit tighter then usual. "I…I don't know, it's just…" She raises her head, to look me straight in the eyes. The intensity in her blue orbs almost makes me step backwards. "When I see you guys out there, trying as hard as you can, and all I can do is look pretty while you bleed and sweat…I mean, I just don't think it's something to be very proud about." She gasps, and snaps her fingers. "Not that being pretty _isn't _important. I mean, it's like number two or three on my list!" I laugh a bit at her constant, and very normal, display of vanity, something I've come to accept as a part of what makes her so unique when she steps out of her normal actions. Like she's doing right now. "But, I understand that I can't help anyone by looking good. I need to gather the strength and ability to actually _do _something, you know? The world's not gonna be saved because I can apply lipstick perfectly."

"Lipstick…?" I murmur. What was that, again?

"You know! The stick that changes the color of your lips?!" As she sees me tilt my head in further confusion, she drops it with a sigh. "Anyway, do you kind of see what I'm getting at here? Do you understand why I want to be strong?"

I nod, and grin quite smugly. "It's nice to see that you understand why we do what we do! Welcome to the club, Bulma." She cheers in glee at my approval, and laughs, a sweet, pleasant noise that has me wanting to hear more. "But, my training is strict. Are you sure you'll be able to handle it?"

She laughs again, and my heart clenches a bit harder then usual. Just what is happening to my body?! Why am I acting so weird around her? "You underestimate me! I'm tougher then I look!" She smiles with a little tilt to her head, and a wink. I observe her face closely, as she turns around, letting her hair whip around, brushing the sides of her face carefully, smile fully blown and eyes shining with happiness. "Come on, let's join the others, yeah?" She struts forward in a rhythmic pattern, bouncing lightly on her feet, obviously elated. I feel a smile of my own break out on my lips once more, as I walk up to her, and join her in the trek to catch up with the others.

_Maybe…Maybe weird isn't a bad thing…_

* * *

**_NO, GOKU IS NOT FALLING IN LOVE WITH BULMA YET. THAT WOULD BE WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY TOO SOON. XD_**

**He's merely beginning to understand that his friendship for Bulma is a bit different from the others. **

**So, if you guys liked the chapter, drop a review or too! **

**Until next time~!**


	3. Laborious Training and Memories

**Hey all, I'm back with another chapter~! :D**

**So, because this chapter took a while to write, and because I'm insanely busy, it might take me a while to get the next one out. Don't worry, I'm not dropping the story, just expect around a week or two for the next chapter to come out.**

_**I don't DBZ, nor any of the characters. I am not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**_

* * *

**~Replies to Guest Reviewers~**

**To LXS:** Yeah, of course! Imagine if they fell in love in the second chapter. Right now, Bulma is merely infatuated with him, and Goku regards her as his closest friend. And, totally! I completely agree with you. I knew she would never compare to them when it came to power, but she could out class them with speed, flexibility, every thing you had said. And, about the Vegeta thing, I really do feel sorry for him! He struggled, almost died multiple times, strived and tried constantly, and after who knows how many years, he finally got SS. And then his son merely achieves is within probably an hour of trying. XD

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**Please read and review! All reviews are really important to me!**

**Enjoy~!**

* * *

~CHAPTER 3: LABORIOUS TRAINING AND MEMORIES~

**BULMA'S POV**

It was 4:30 in the morning.

You know? The time where most people are _asleep_?

Hah, nope! Not me!

No, I'm up, getting ready for possibly the hardest day of my life that's come so far. Not that I'm angry or anything. In fact, despite me, I'm pleasantly content!

I open my closet with glee, and search through each and every article of clothing, to find one that would be easier to work in. After a while of scourging around, I'm able to decide on a white tang top with my name on it, a denim jacket, some fitting short jeans with a belt, and pretty heavy duty gloves and knee protectors. Nothing too special, but nothing too shabby. After all, I could be meeting people out there! I let my hair go from its ponytail, and watch as it falls over my shoulders, and a bit past my chest. It's growing, eh? Might have to get rid of that. Heh, not that it matters much, these days. I take off my pj's, and throw on a bra and underwear, while hastily combing my hair in front of the mirror with my remaining hand. Hoo, boy, is today gonna be difficult!

Today is my (Long awaited) first day of training with Goku. After a while of stressing over it, I'm finally going to be able to get stronger to protect everyone, and, of course, myself_. He_ came to my door, floating, typical of him, telling me to get ready since our day starts early at 4:00, quite unexpectedly, I must say. He was clothed in a tight tang top, which showed his chest muscles flawlessly, and exposed his massive arms for the world to see. I mean, despite the fact he was wearing such things for easy movement, I gotta say, he's easy on the eyes.

…Wait.

What?

Okay, um, _no! _What I _meant _to bring up was the fact he was clothed in such different articles. Like, for the training! Which would help him move! And if he needed help moving, then imagine what it's gonna be like for me!

That's what I meant!

Yeah!

I freeze for a moment, then my blush explodes out on my face instantaneously. Thinking of nothing else to do, I slap my cheeks to get rid of the light pink tinge, and snap myself out of my thoughts by kicking myself mentally. Groaning, I flop back down onto my bed, and roll a bit back and forth. How long is this silly infatuation going to last?! It's only a small crush! The one I love is Yamcha! It has to be, right?!

….Right?

I sit up straight on my bed, and sigh. I have no time to deal with such inconveniences. I've asked Goku to train me for the sake of our lives, not because of some silly crush. And, he's _married. _Granted, it's not the best marriage, and it's could be tearing up Goku from the inside, but Chi-Chi loves him, I'm sure, and there's Gohan to worry about. I don't want to break up their family. And, it's not time for me to be worrying about it. After all, he's-

"Hey Bulma, you're still practically naked after 30 minutes?!"

"GAH!" I shriek, and fly off of my bed, and on the floor, clutching my heart like it was about to burst out of my body. Slowly, I peek from the top of my mattress, and see Goku peering though my window, looking quite exasperated.

"Why do you girls take so long in getting ready?! I throw on a t-shirt, and I'm done!" He explains, using his hand for emphasis.

"Meh, I need more time then you to think over things!" He climbs through the window, and my heart almost skips a beat just by him nearing closer. "Why are you entering my room? I just need to put stuff on and I'm done!"

"You smell good!"

I freeze, after putting my t-shirt, and look at him curiously, suppressing the urge to burst out laughing, settling with a slight smile. He's now roaming around the room, peering at my belongings and inventions, intrigued, like a small child. "Why do you have so many things?" He picks up a picture of me and my mother from off my desk, and studies it, before putting it down in the same place he got it from.

'Because there are a lot of things I need." He comes across the failed invention I stressed about on "that night", where I got my feelings together, but messed up on a special machine with a certain purpose. He eyes it, and squints when he sees it's not completed. My heart jumps a bit. Oh god, not that. I pull my pants up, and pull up the zipper a bit carelessly.

"Why didn't you finish this?" He turns to look at me, now that I've everything on but my jacket.

I stay silent for a while. "…Well, I was making something…special, but after messing it up time after time, and getting my thoughts together, I realized I wouldn't need to use it." I look around the room, for my jacket. Where did I put the damn thing? Goku tilts his head further, with eyes pleading for me to tell him what it was. But his voice further pushed me to tell him.

"What was it for?" He comes a bit closer, picks up my denim jacket, which was under the covers of the bed, and hands it to me, eyes intently looking though mine for an answer.

I take the jacket, hastily look away, and open my mouth in a hesitant parted smile. "It's not that important. It's okay." I hope he doesn't take this the wrong way. "I just wanted to see you on the planet you're staying on when you left for two years. You know, just to see how you were faring. I was worried! I mean, you left for a while, so you could've gotten hurt, or someone strong could have come and destroyed the Earth, as well." I hurriedly throw my jacket on sloppily, still not looking at Goku. "But then it took _way _too long to make, and I messed up way too much as well. I wasn't going to give up there, but I realized you'd be here soon, so I dropped it." Now I look up, and I nearly flinch backward when his eyes are still fixated on me, possibly more intent then how they were before. I wait a bit, waiting for him to pull his gaze off of me. It doesn't happen. "…Goku…? Is something wrong…?"

He opens his lips a bit, and licks them slowly. Moving his arm in my direction, I resist the urge to flinch back as he hooks his hand with mine gently, eyes still with the fire that he had in them before the hand contact. I try with all of my power to keep the blush off of my face. All he's doing is gripping my hand! What is my body doing? His grip gets a bit tighter, but not tight enough to give me damage. He looks down at me, and seeing that I'm looking away, very innocently cups my jaw line with his hand to push it towards his direction. My eyes grow big. "I'm sorry. I…I shouldn't have left you alone." He echoes. My insides flip violently. "I put you, and everyone else in danger, and all for the sake of my strength. I'm really, truly sorry." I look into his orbs carefully. He really is sorry, past the point of where I've seen him before. He softly lets go off my hand, tilts a small smile at me so as to not dampen my spirits, and collects my bag and after searching a bit, the picnic basket that I was trying to keep a secret. _Damn! He found out! _ "Ooh! You made food, Bulma?! You're stuff is always better then Chi-Chi's!"

I laugh, and break myself out of my self-inflicted paralysis. Inching towards Goku, I quickly steal the basket from him, before flicking him on the nose playfully. "But none for you, until we finish our training!" He pouts. "What? You're _never _gonna get food made for you by a woman _this _beautiful…" I indicate his eyes towards my face. "…So you better suck it up!" I flip around, and collect the rest of my belongings, putting it into my bag. "Alright! I'm ready! Lets go, eh?"

He laughing. "Sure!"

* * *

"Wow!" I exclaim, as I gaze at the scenery. "This is beautiful!"

Goku, who's been stretching, turns to me prior to my exclamation. "Huh? Oh, go figure! You've been in your city so long, you don't get to go out much, eh?" I laugh.

"Well, you train constantly, so you probably come across such places constantly. Probably don't notice much anymore! But for me, it doesn't matter how many times I'll go here. It's still be as amazing as before!" And it really was a sight to behold.

The grass was long and flowed as the wind caressed it gently, trees tall and towering, shedding its leaves for people to take with them as a souvenir, willingly or not. The lake besides us was crystal clear and pristine, as I caught a glimpse of a fish of some sorts jumping out of the water gracefully and diving back in. A beautiful view of the mountains were hung in the background, and the sky, although it was around 5:00 AM, already show signs of the sun peeking through, to change the sky between a mixture of red, blue, and black. No pollution to taint it, thank the lord. This really is a sight to behold.

"So, shall we get started?" Goku asks, still not facing me. I turn and nod 'yes', growing more excited as the minutes pass by. He mentions for me to come closer, and I listen. He turns around, looking down at me. "Now, lookie here. Unfortunately, there is no way you can match any of us, really, in terms of physical strength. But, if you train hard enough, you might be able to over take us in speed. Plus, you already have great deducing skills, and are a wonderful tactician, so that can come into play as well." I nod, waiting to hear the rest. Goku's pretty intelligent, when it comes to this stuff, I note. "Basically, what I'm saying is that you have the innate ability to be an amazing fighter, but you've never realized it yet. I was actually really excited when you asked me to train you!"

I nod, and crack my knuckles. "Alright then! What's first?"

"Well…we're gonna attack your weak point right on." He gestures.

"Which is…?" I tilt my head, waiting for his answer.

"Simple! Your endurance!"

I groan.

* * *

"Okay, this is gonna be a big one, okay! This one could possibly take up the whole day." Goku bellows, around 800 meters, or half a mile away. It's amazing I can still hear him. He mentions towards the path I'm standing in front of, split by the trees, yet clear of them. "You're to run over to me, and back to our bags 50 times. One time over to me is 1 lap. Running to me, and back to the bags are two."

I gape at him. Seeing as he's completely serious, it seems I have to knock some sense into him

"Are you _crazy?!_ This is the _first_ day, Goku!" I scream back. Are you kidding me?! He wants me to run 25 miles right off the bat?! That's practically a marathon!

"C'mon, Bulma! It'll get easier the more you do it!" He throws back. Hah! Easy for him to say!

"No! It will not! Not for _me!"_

"_Bulma!" _He groans. "It's the first day, and you already have problems!" He thinks of what to say, caressing his head, which is positioned at a tilt. "Come to think of it, I also had a lot of problems with endurance when I started off, but I got over it by working hard." He smiles. "You _do _want to get stronger, right? Start by running!"

I ponder this for a moment. "Fine…But can I get breaks in between?" I try.

He laughs. "Fine, but only 'cause it's your first time. You can have a break every 10 miles!"

I guess that's alright. "Okay!" I chuckle nervously. "Now I see why you want me to get up so early. This could take forever!"

"The slower you go, the more your suffer!" Goku playfully encourages me. My throat sore from screaming across half a mile, I put my bags down on the line Goku made with his foot, and get ready to start running. "Oh, wait! I forgot!" I raise my head up, and gesture with my hands for him to continue. He rustles though his pocket, and pulls, what I'm assuming to be a stopwatch. I was too far away to make sure of it, but what Goku shouts next confirms my thoughts and fears. "I'm timing you!"

"_W-What?! _But I'm taking breaks, Goku! Of course it'll take a long time!_" _I scream, exasperated already.

"Yes, but how long you take a break impacts your time, and in battle could affect the while plant. Think of it like this. If you had to save the Earth, and you only had 5 minutes to run…say…4 miles, would you _really _take a break to rest?!"

…Damn.

He got me there.

"Fine." I mutter, and nod just in case if he couldn't hear me. His smile grows, no doubt happy for winning a small banter, and tells me to get ready.

"You have around 60 seconds before starting! Drink a bit of water, but not too much!" Goku bellows. "And, Bulma! How long does it usually take for you to run a mile?!"

I think back to when I was in school. "I think somewhere around 9 minutes, thirty seconds to 10 minutes!"

He smiles. "Okay, okay, not bad for a city girl!" I sneer, and stick my tongue out a bit. "But, judging by your time, you could probably run this in around hours 4 without taking breaks, if you had mine endurance but your speed!" I groan.

"That long?!" I scream. He nods.

"Yeah! If you do really good, you could be done with this part by 9:00! Now, get ready!" I walk back to the starting line, take a small sip of my water, and put it down next to our stuff. "Set!" One leg on the line, I put my right leg behind me, ready to push off. "Go!" I take off, starting, possibly, the hardest 4 hours of my life. One foot goes after another, breaths go in and out steadily as I try to keep a slow, constant pace. The trees start to blur a bit, so I slow down and try not to tire myself out. Only halfway though the path, I start to feel the fatigue begin to wash over me already, and my breathing turns to small pants. My throat starts to dry up, and my leg muscles are beginning to mildly burn. I really _have _gotten out of shape. I mean, I'm not seriously tired, but I already starting to have doubts I can do this. My foot hits the line where Goku is standing. 1 down.

49 to go.

I'm almost to the point of collapsing.

I know I should stop. He _said _I could stop if I needed to.

But I don't want to give up, for a reason unbeknown to me.

My breathing comes out heavy, and my gasps grasp for as much air as possible, causing my throat to burn, dry beyond belief. My muscles are cramping intensely, wanting to give out, my stomach is flipping, yearning for nourishment and food, and my body's sending all the signs possible that it's done, that it can't take anymore. But, unfortunately for it, I won't give in that easily. I'm on my 40th lap, I'm almost to the second break, and all I have to do is reach the line once more. Then I can rest. I feel nauseous, like I'm about to throw up, and my vision blurs a bit as I look ahead of me, to see the ridiculously familiar sight of my bags and the line, covered by my footprints. _Come on, Bulma! You're almost there!_

Three more steps.

Two…

Last step…

I hit the line, and collapse immediately. My back hits the floor, and I throw my hands up and let them slam against my head, panting extremely quick, and body burning. After a few minutes of remaining like that, without getting up, I scramble for my water bottle inside of my bag by throwing my arm behind me, pulling it out instantaneously as soon as I felt it. Using the remainder of my strength, I open the bottle clumsily, shakily sit up, and take large gulps of the miracle liquid. As the water runs down my throat, I feel relief come over my senses, washing away the dryness in my mouth, and helping the ache of my muscles lessen, though not by much. I sit there for a while, gathering my senses.

But, suddenly, feeling my body jerk, I abruptly turn over and ungracefully throw up the water I just consumed, bending down on all fours and trying to prevent myself from vomiting anymore, which was, by the way, failing miserably. After a rough half a minute of fighting my body, I roll over to my original area, wiping my mouth carelessly, groaning.

I hear a footstep sound behind me. "Oh god. You alright, Bulma?" I slowly look up, to see Goku standing over me, with a plethora of concern on his face. He sees the vomit next to me, and his eyes widen. Quickly bending down to my side, he rustles in his pockets for, presumably, a senzu bean. A couple of seconds go by as his face turns to one of helplessness. "Damn! I can't believe I forgot to bring the beans!" I laugh a bit. Does he think I'm dying?! Or has he never seen someone throw up from exercise before?

He looks down at me once more, as I try to pull myself back into a sitting position, actually succeeding. "I'm fine…huff…don't worry." I mutter. Actually, after…say "relieving" myself, I do feel much better. "Don't you know it's common…for people to throw up after doing…a lot of exercise? It's fine, I just need…a moment." Well, even _I _have to say, that was ridiculously out of character for me. Usually I'd have given up! Maybe I _am_ taking this training thing seriously.

"Are you sure you don't want to stop…?" Goku asks, voice filled to the brim with concern.

I nod, still out of breath. "Of course…! Only have…huff…10 more laps to go." I begin to regain my breath, but the ache in my body doesn't go away. "And, if I'm gonna do this everyday, then I better…get used to it." I chuckle, and attempt to stand up, one foot at a time and trying my best to ignore the influx of pain my legs send me constantly. Finally, on two feet, I begin to steadily walk around to help loosen my muscles and help lessen the pain. I notice Goku, still in the position before, eyeing me carefully. I tilt my head in confusion, and turn away as I find his gaze a bit uncomfortable. I start to speak to break the straining silence. "So, yeah, I think that I'll start again once more…in around a minute…After all, you're timing me…right? And, I can't continue…to go easy on myself! It's-"

"Bulma…"

Suddenly, he's behind me, my back skimming his front, the middle of his chest hitting my head.

"What…?"

I gasp as a large hand grasps my back, and flips me around to face the Saiyan. Quickly, he places one hand on my wrist, and the other on my neck. Uncomfortable, I try to pull away, but I can't escape his grip. My chest against his, his hand grasping mine, and his head near my throat, I feel my blush explode on me and my heart skip a beat as I try stay deathly still. He presses a thumb down on my wrist and neck, and I see him count for a minute, then utter a number. "126. You're done, Bulma." He lets go of my wrist and neck, stops the stopwatch, calls his cloud, and picks up my belongings, all as I watch him in disbelief, staying in the same place as I was before.

He walks away to where the rest of our belonging are, and I follow him temperately. "What do you mean "_I'm done?!" _Didn't you hear? I want to continue going!" He continues walking, seemingly angry, but I'm sure just oblivious to my exasperation. But suddenly, he stops walking, and I almost run into his back.

"Look, Bulma, it's fine. You're heart beat is elevated, your panting really hard, you just vomited, and you want to continue going?" He turns around, and looks at me, obviously sorry.

"Look, Goku, I-"

"Bulma, it's not your fault, okay? I pushed you a bit too hard. I should have been aware of your limitations." He looks up at the sky, specifically at the sun. "And it seems to be around 11:30. We're over time!" He grabs my hand, while his other grasps our bags. "And, it's time to eat!" He laughs so obnoxiously cute, that I forget my training, and feel myself agree with him, though seemingly unwillingly.

"...Fine" I mutter. "But next time we do something like that, you're letting me do the whole thing, okay?"

Goku turns back, and smiles. "Okay! Just remember, don't push yourself _too _hard. You're still just a beginner." His smile gets bigger. "And even if you don't get strong, and you want to give up, well, I'll always protect you, so it doesn't matter much." Even though he said it cheerily, I can still feel the guilt and worry radiating from his body. Knowing that, he chuckles, and turns around, gazing at the sky for a hint of his cloud. I stare at his back, contemplating his words.

"_Just, remember, don't push yourself too hard."_

"…_I'll always protect you, so it doesn't matter much." _

While he said these things to give me ease, all I feel is an overwhelming amount of guilt. That's not what I want, either of them! I want to do things myself! I sigh. The first day. The first exercise, and I'm already tired both mentally and physically, huh? I guess I really do need to work more at this. I can't wait until I get better…

As Goku's cloud whizzes closer in the distance (Paradox, much?), I gasp in realization, thinking of one _very _crucial fact. "Goku…" He turns around. "How am I supposed to ride the cloud?!"

He stops for a moment, and bites his lip in apprehension. My heart skips a beat at the non-intended sexy gesture, so I open my water and take a sip to distract myself from his movement. "I forgot about that…Damn." He tilts his head, in thought.

"Oh! You can ride on my lap!"

I spit the water out ungracefully.

I turn to him sharply. "_W-What?! _No! Goku, _NO_." Once more, the pink explodes on my cheeks at the connotations of what he said, as I wipe away some water from my mouth.

He pouts. "Aww, why not? It's the only way for you to sit comfortably, unless you want to stand the whole time. Gohan does it all the time!" He thinks a bit. "And, I promise you I clean down there now! It'll be fine!"

…

As if that's the problem.

I stay silent for a bit. It's this, or walking to our next training spot while I'm in this condition. It's not like Goku understand what having a beautiful babe riding on his lap means, anyway, so I guess it'll be fine as long if, hopefully, I can keep my damn infatuation from rising up. "…I can't believe I'm about to do this…" I mutter. "Fine."

Goku laughs, obviously elated, as he claps his hands together, truly looking like a monkey.

I giggle a bit. "Why are you so happy?" He turns to me.

"Oh, no, I was just thinking about something. Well, one, I'll be able to pay you back for what I forced you through today…" I'm about to reprimand him on the face he didn't do anything, since I can _still _here the shakiness in his voice, but he continues his thoughts before I can. "And, …when we were younger, I was always the one who would sit on your lap, in case if there wasn't enough room or something." He looks over my small stature. "But since I've gotten bigger, it seems our positions are switched! You're the small one now!"

I stare at him, who's laughing heartily, and I begin to chuckle as well. "Yeah, when we were smaller, huh? When things weren't complicated or anything." I look at his body, at his face, at the cuts of his abs showing through the shirt, at his muscles on his arms and legs. "When I could stop myself from being attracted to you." I mutter.

"What?" Goku curiously asks.

"Oh, um, nothing!" I see the cloud almost here, and I yell quickly to detract Goku's attention from me. "Look! Look, Goku, over there!" He turns around quickly, and sees the cloud above his head. "The cloud!"

"Well, time to go! Hold your basket!" He hands me the bag with our food in it spontaneously, as he quickly disappears from sight.

"…Wha...GAH!" Goku's arm loops through my waist instantaneously, and he pushes off against the ground to fly up. I throw my hands on his chest and grip his shirt tightly, in case if he lets go, even though I'm not worried about that part. He lands on the cloud, and takes a seat. Raising me up, he lifts me, then plops me down on his lap with a chuckle, telling the cloud to go as I try to stop the influx of color spreading across my face and my body temperature from rising. The wind throws my hair behind me, probably getting in Goku's face. So, ignoring the fact I was doing a pretty good job of not dying, I mutter sorry, and reach my hands behind me to pull my hair behind. But, Goku gently grabs my hand holding the strands and puts it down to my side. He leans his head forward, and almost resting it in the crook of my neck, sniffs my blue strands.

His face ridiculously close, I freeze, and pretty much oblivious to my reaction, Goku speaks. "You're hair smells really good. Like strawberries! Don't pull it back, I like how it."

"I-I…I see." I murmur. "But, could you perhaps move back a bit…"

I almost shriek, as his arms wrap around my front, and pull me into his sturdy chest, basically placing me into an impossible-to-break prison. He loops his arms together, to prevent escape, and continues to smell my strands. His warmth radiates into my body, his heartbeat vibrates into my back, and even through his shirt, I can feel his abs, his crevices and shape against my lower back, not to mention I was lying on his…um…_inner thighs _the whole time.

I stutter, trying to put the words together. "G-Goku…what are y-you _doing?!" _

I can feel his breath on my ear as he smirks. "Nothing, it's just as I said before, your hair smells good." He laughs, and the hot air against my ear makes my heart thump wildly against my chest, as it would with any guy. My ears are my weak point, after all. "Also, I wouldn't want you falling off, now would I?" Although such a close vicinity between our bodies, the guy can only be as innocent as ever. He lowers his head, shocking me a bit. "But…" His voice lowers, becoming deeper, raspier, and definitely sexier. Although, I'm sure, it was definitely _not _intended in that way. But what he does nearly has my heart leap out of my body. He lays his head down completely on the gap between my neck and shoulder, and breaths in heavily.

"…I also want you…close to me." He pulls me in tighter.

"W-what…Goku…um…" I stutter. I swear to god, the vessels in my cheeks are going to explode. He doesn't move from the place, just continues to breath in and out. My body stiffens and my pulse gets faster by the moment, squirming a bit to escape, but because I was still weak, and the Saiyan was _much _too strong, Goku doesn't let me move.

"Bulma…" I swallow my saliva slowly. "I wanted to say, I'm sorry…" His grip slowly increases in strength. "I know, it's only your first day…not only that, your first exercise, and I already pushed you too hard…" Goku begins to shake a bit, and my eyes shoot open at his uneven breath. Is he honestly blaming…_himself for my abilities?!_ "And you even told me that it'll be hard for you…but I ignored your warnings and…forgot you're human, not Saiyan…" He breaths out, and pulls me tighter into his body. "I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…" I feel like my heart is about to drop into cardiac arrest, with the amount it's beating.

But, as abruptly as it began, I hear him gasp, as if snapping out of his trance, and raise his head. "Oh, sorry! I lost myself, there! Am I making you uncomfortable?" His grip, although it doesn't leave my body, does lose intensity. "I thought you hold someone close for an apology if you love them."

"…_Love them?!" _I clumsily spur out.

"Well, yeah. I love all of you guys, and hugging is the way I show it."

… I wait a minute, before replying. "Goku…are you alright? I was wondering if you'd been blaming yourself for what happened back there." He laughs nervously, and when I turn around, he bites his lip.

"I can't really explain it, Bulma. I just…don't want to see you go through that again." He mutters, much softer then his normal, obnoxiously loud voice

"Oi! Then that wouldn't be training, would it?!" I try to put my hands on my hip, a difficult task to perform when someone's larger, sturdier arms are already there. "I gotta go through a bit of pain to reach my goal!"

"But, Bulma…"

"Come on, Goku! I already told you!" I turn away again, and tilt my head downwards once more. "I refuse to stay back and watch you guys suffer in battles for my, and the world's sake, while I do nothing but stay behind and hope for the best…" I choose my words carefully. "It's not what _friends_ do to each other." _Even though when it comes to you, I could be progressing past the point of friendship. _"How can I even consider myself in the team if I don't do anything?"

He stays quiet for a bit

"But, you know…on the topic of friendship…" Goku whispers. I lean back a bit to hear him clearer. "You're kind of different, you know. I don't know why, but I feel more comfortable around you. More at ease." His words lit a fire in my stomach, making me overwhelmingly elated.

"Heehee…I see."

He pulls his head away from my throat, and unhooks his arms from my chest, giving me space to move my back away a bit, which I do.

Well…

…I already miss the warmth.

**GOKU'S POV **

What the hell was I thinking?!

Was I even thinking at that moment?! Ugh, I'm so stupid!

Why did I tell her that? She has more important things to worry about. And, to hug her like that was a show of friendship, yes, but even after she struggled against me, I didn't let her go!

_Why didn't I let her go?! _

Soaring through the sky, we're still in mid-flight. Instead of eating at our destination, I decided to munch on something in the air, and just take Bulma home.

Man, today, I made a _lot _of mistakes.

I look at her, arms in front, holding her sandwich carefully, and slowly takes a miniature bite. She seems to be fine now, no signs of on-coming puking or fatigue anymore. In fact, we could walk and continue training! But it's rather late now. I look up at the sun, which started tilting towards the west and was about to change the colors of the sky. It's around 5:30 now, huh? We've went a long way, unfortunately, as I went in the wrong direction for a while, all thanks to my _brilliant _direction skills. She laughed it off, but it was obvious Bulma was disappointed about not being able to continue her training.

…But…

I've have to say, when I got to her after she finished her 40th lap, and saw her collapsed on the floor, vomit next to her, I felt such worry that I thought I was going to break down. She was breathing, she wasn't in critical condition, but the pain she was in…I couldn't even stand to see her in it, much less let her stay continue to be agony. I glance over to Bulma, who's head I now see in profile. Her eyes searching, she innocently looks out across to the sun, and shifts a bit in my lap. When I saw _her, _the girl in front of me, the girl who's been with me all along, since I've been a child… the one who I care for possibly the most…when I understand how much pain I put her through on only her _first _day of training, I knew we had to stop. At that moment, all I wanted to do was hold her close, and fly to a hospital or _somewhere _she could get help from.

She warned me. She told me that she couldn't do it, that I couldn't make her do it. And yet in the end, she gave in.

Why? Why did she try so hard? Normally, she knew her limits, she knew what she could and couldn't so…and sometimes she pushes herself, yeah, but most times she stops! I don't understand why she continued on, even though she was in such pain. And, I thought I was going to actually force her to stop, and I was ready to.

But then she reassured me with such conviction, such passion, that it shocked me. She wanted to continue, after throwing up so intensely, she wanted to finish the excruciating task. She comforted _me, _telling _me _it was all right, that she was all right. She changed. She'd become stronger, mentally, but weaker physically over the years. And she knows that.

And yet…

And _yet…!_

"Ugh…" I murmur, and throw my head back, stretching my neck.

"You alright there, Goku?" Bulma inquires.

"I'm alright, just…thinking…"

"Well then! That's pretty unusual for you! Try not to overthink things, eh? You usually dig yourself deeper in a hole by questioning why things are the way that they are."

I let a small smile crack through at the ever-showing concern Bulma radiates. While she doesn't act this way with most people, while she puts up a cold front and a killer attitude, she's a heart of gold, this person. "Sure."

We stay silent for a while, until we start to hear the ever-familiar racket of civilization. "Oh!" She looks down, to spot the cars and houses that were so common to her. "We're here!" Bulma exclaims. "

Finally, we can eat everything!" I blurt out. We round the buildings and skyscrapers, to come across the much waited for dome of Capsule Corp.

I prepare to fly down to the entrance of her house, but she stops me before I can.

"No, Goku! Up there, on the roof!" She points to the two cylinders adorning the roof of her house, and I tilt my head.

"There? You're gonna get into your house from there?" She nods, her eyes big and pleading. I give in. "Okay then. Get ready!"

"..Wha…NO! Goku, don't you dare-"

"Too late! Didn't hear ya!" I pick her up from my legs, and cradle her, one arm looping around her legs, the other around her back sturdily. What did people call this again…? The bridal pick up, or something? Why is it named so randomly? I look down to Bulma's face, and much to my surprise, it's a bright pink. My concern for her spikes up once more. "Are you okay, Bulma? You feeling sick again?"

She gasps, and shakes her head, gesturing a "no" with her lips. "I'm fine. Lets just get to the roof." I nod in agreement.

"Okay!"

Slowly, taking care to not grip her too tight, I jump off of Kitoun, and proceed to float in the air. Making my way there, I glance at her face. Obviously enjoying herself now, Bulma giggles a bit when the wind blows strands of her hair straight in her face. I smile at the endearing show of happiness, and continue making my way forward, moving a bit slower so she could enjoy this a bit longer.

As I reach the cylinder, I slowly help her step on the flat surface, and land there myself. I look at the picnic basket she's holding, and do nothing to contain my smile in eagerness for her food. She notices me eyeing the basket, in which she laughs, sitting down, facing the sun. As she sees the differentiating colors in the sky, she squeals with joy. "Ooh! The sunset is coming up!" She explains with glee to me. "It's _so _pretty from here!" She babbles on more and more about the colors and shades, but I can't help myself from just staring at her, not paying attention to her words, but to the way her mouth moves, and the way how when she smiles, it lights up her whole face.

I don't understand why I'm so fixated on the girl. I mean, Chi-Chi told me that it's only right to be in love with one girl. But, I don't understand why I can't love everybody! And plus, Bulma found me first. Out of everybody, she was with me the longest. She molded me, changed me, and helped me get out of the mountains and into the world. She was with me the longest, and I can only guess that's why I regard her as closer to me then everyone else. But, it's not as if it's a bad thing, I guess. She's just my _best_ friend, that's all.

She pouts, as she finds out that I wasn't listening, but then makes a crack how I probably didn't understand anyway. Grinning, she turns around, and fidgets with the picnic basket, but makes a groan of exasperation as she finds everything finished. Searching through it once more, she tosses out empty container after container and almost squeals when she finds something full. Pulling out a large box, she puts it in front of me and across from her, gesturing for me to open it.

Excited for what ever smells that good, I hastily remove the shiny cover off from what it seems to be a dessert of some sorts. It definitely looks good, but I have no idea what it is. "Bulma…"

"Mhm?" She turns my way, after getting two forks from her basket.

"What is this?" She nearly flips over.

"Y-You've never had…cheesecake before?!" She bellows in wonder.

"No? Is cake famous or somethin'…?"

She stays silent for a while, eyes crunched in confusion and disbelief, as she peers at me, looking for a sign of humor. Seeing as I'm 100% serious, she sighs, and drops her fork back into the basket. "Well, then, I guess you're gonna have the whole slice this time." She laughs sweetly, as she reaches forward, and cuts a small piece off of the "cheesecake", holding it out for me to eat. I eye it carefully. "It's my own personal recipe, eh? You're really lucky to have it! I only let those who I trust even get a look." She grins.

I take the fork, and hold it, with Bulma's hand still underneath. Pulling it closer, I place the cake in my mouth, and let it soak in. Immediately, the flavors explode onto my taste buds, a mixture of sweet and sour, and even a bit of salty. I can taste the strawberries, and it reminds me of Bulma's scent, the cream literally dissolving and melting on my tongue, and the biscuit on the bottom, giving the whole concoction some most needed texture. It was easily the best thing I've ever tasted.

"Whoa…this is…amazing!" I bellow out into amazement. Seeing as I can help myself, Bulma pulls her hand from under mine, and lets me continue eating the cake as freely as I wanted.

"Hey, Bulma! Could you do me a favor as to pay me back for training you?" She nods. "Could you make this cake every day we have training?"

She giggles, and with a tilt to her head, beams at me "Of course!"

And in the distance, the sun sets peacefully, without and restrictions or interferences to get in its way.

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**HAPPY CHAPTER! :D**

**Yeeup, so the usual. Of you liked it, please review. All of your reviews mean a lot to me~!**


	4. Blooming Students and Water Fights

**Hey all, I'm back with another chapter! Sorry for taking so long to post this, I just got off of school and I've been working quite hard since.**

**Anyway, here's a nice, light chapter for you guys. Full of lots of fluffy fluff! I mean, since my stories are actually quite dark, sometimes I just need to lighten things up, you know? Now, don't worry, there's still plot progression, but don't expect limbs to be thrown all over the place, or something. **

**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE (SWEARING). IF YOU'RE EASILY OFFENDED BY THIS, PLEASE DON'T READ. **

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**Replies to Guest Reviewers:**

**To LXS: **Bro, if I see you in real life, you better prepare for a Super Saiyan hug. Seriously, you've helped me so much, I can't even comprehend how I'd be able to write this story without you. Thank you. :)

Okay, so like, has anyone told you that your theories are _flawless? _I really agree with what you're saying. Super Saiyan isn't something which's accessed so easily, and it's true that only the strongest can reach the true form. (Well, duh. XD) It _would _be a disaster if your theory was found out by Planet Vegeta. Imagine! The Saiyans could've easily taken down Frieza and could've destroyed the universe, or everything living in it, I think. Personally, I don't think it'll be _that _drastic, but you never know. XD

And, I think I'll do a combination of both. While showing Bulma's progression physically is important, I do have to develop the plot with everyone else. The story's going to get pretty complicated from here on, so I'm trying to give some comical and romantic relief every now and then. :)

**To Jonathan: **Gracias por tu comentario! :D Me temo que no hablan español o cualquier otro idioma así que tengo que usar el traductor de google para responder a usted. Estoy pensando en dejar que alguien traducir la historia correctamente, para que otros puedan leerlo. Esperemos que esto no era demasiado confuso! :)

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_**I do not own any of the characters within the DB franchise, nor am I claiming ownership over the plot. I'm not writing this for any kind of profit, merely for enjoyment.**_

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Enjoy the chapter! Please review to help me get better!

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_**~CHAPTER FOUR: BLOOMING STUDENTS AND WATER FIGHTS~**_

**BULMA'S POV**

Three steps…two…one more.

My foot runs over the line of the lap, and starts to ache as soon as I stop running. My muscles burn in protest, and my heart is beating uncontrollably. My chest is burning, and my throat's dry enough to become dust.

I finally complete 20 laps of my perilous exercise. 20 down, 30 to go.

…Oh, _shoot me._

I sit down next to my bags, and wipe some sweat off of my temples, sighing as I regain the air my body so much needs. I'm too weak for this shit, you know? Granted, this was harder yesterday, and I think I'm getting better at it, but this is seriously starting to hurt. My bones and muscles are already sore from yesterday's endeavor, as it is. I take a small sip of water from my bottle, and rest it down next to me.

Day two of my training, and I'm absolutely set on tackling this workout. Even if I can only do 30 or 40 laps now, I'll make my way up. I'll probably throw up after this, though, so I chose to wear the most uncouth outfit ever. An old blue tang-top, tears and rips showing my skin and stains covering the exterior, and some faded mom-jeans-shorts. Is that what you call them? I mean, it's _so_ out of fashion, even _I've _forgotten the name. And that's saying something, coming from the world's best fashionita.

Anyway, the point is, I've prepared myself for the worst, and I'm gonna try my best today. And so far, I think I was doing a pretty good job! Despite the whole…you know…_running _aspect of it.

"Hey Bulma…" Goku stands behind me, tapping his foot actually quite impatiently. He completely disagreed with my idea of trying this exercise again, but knowing his kind nature, he eventually gave into my pleas. Doesn't mean he was the least bit happy with it, but he still agreed in the end. Even though this is, I can already predict his next sentence towards me. "Are you sure you don't want to stop now?" Bingo. "I mean, you've tried hard, and I shouldn't push you too intensely…" He sighs. "Remember what happened yesterday?"

"Yeah, yeah. How could I forget?" I twist my body around to face Goku. Today, he's clothed in, as usual, his signature baggy pants, and a simple blue t-shirt, which has our logo 'Capsule Corp' on it, courtesy of my mother. "Are you sure I have to stop now?"

"I'd advise it." He shrugs his shoulders, and puts on a small smile. "We could also get some other things done, like strengthing your arms and legs, or working on speed." Speed? Just what I've been waiting for!

Okay, act cool, Bulma.

"Fine." I mutter, sounding unwilling, but actually quite happy to be making progress, and raise my hand up, outstretching the pointer finger, directing it at Goku. "But only if we work on my speed today, okay?" I mean, hey, he's gonna tell me to stop, I'm gonna rule the routine. "But don't get your hopes up, okay? I'll be trying this again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day _after_ the day after, and so on, got it?"

He laughs. "Fine, fine, whatever you say!" He raises his hands up to his shoulders, showing me his palms in an effort to express his willingness to listen to my suggestions. Under his breath, I could've sworn he muttered 'But I'll stop you.'

Ignoring that for now, I observe him as he reaches for his bag on the floor, and pulls it up. He opens the front pocket, pulling out a stopwatch, and fiddles with the machine a bit. "First, we're gonna see how fast you are at this moment in time." He walks halfway through the all too familiar path, and draws a line with his foot in the dirt. "This is approximately 100 meters!" He bellows across to me. "The normal sprinting time for a girl would probably be between 15-17 seconds! Anything slower then that is below where you want to be, any thing less is actually quite good!" He looks over my physic, and my legs which have absolutely _no _muscles on them. "As you haven't worked out much, I expect you to bring in a time of around 17 seconds. That's quite slow, but we'll work from there." He's quite knowledgeable about this stuff, isn't he. I observe his face as his jaw moves, and his arms help in explaining, and wonder if he really _is _a genius. Maybe he just hasn't been allowed the education that we've all been through. He notices my staring, and tilts his head. "Do I have food on my face, or somethin'?"

"No, no, you're fine!" I yell back, hopefully loud enough, and give him a thumbs up as a visual representation. He smiles brightly like an idiot, and tells me to get ready. I take my position on the line, stretching my strong foot back, and my other foot in front, as I take my semi-crouch position.

"When I put my hand down and say 'go', take off, okay?" I nod. He sticks his hand up in a fist position, the other one out, probably attempting to raise my valor. "Try as hard as you can Bulma!" He jumps in the air, waving his arms like a cheerleader, but as soon as he hits the floor, freezes in his position comically. He ponders something. "…Unless you're gonna throw up, okay?!"

I laugh. "I think this is a bit too little for me to throw up, you know?!" I bellow across.

He smiles, raises his hand up, and the other one fiddles with the stopwatch. "On your mark…" I prepare my body once more. "Set…" I push down on the floor powerfully. "Go!"

Instantaneously, I push off the ground, and bring my foot forward for my first step. Each step hitting the floor pushes off with energy, propelling me forward, my body twisting with all the movements. My hair proceeds to get in the way of my vision, but due to my hands moving back and forth to help my velocity increase, I leave it there for the meanwhile. I continue on, left leg, right left leg, right leg, and when I look up, I find myself almost half way there. _Come on Bulma, you can do this. _When I peer at Goku, he seems to be watching the way my legs hit the floor, but goes back to the stopwatch. He pulls a not bad face, which told me I'm probably doing okay, nothing too good. My stride length gets longer, as well as my speed, and I look up once, and see the 'finish line' close by.

You know, I had enough of doing _okay. _If I can't finish the first exercise, then I should at least try to finish this one with flying time's not gonna get faster by itself, so I should try my hardest now. I breathe out heavily, and prepare myself to give it my all in the last dozen of meters. I concentrate on gathering my energy, for a very brief moment, and suddenly without my consent, my body receives a blast of adrenaline and power, something which I've never experienced before. My vision turns a faint shade of blue, for some reason, and I feel the vigor course through my hands, arms, and legs, and every other organ or limb I own. I don't have much time to awe about it, though. My body lighter then a feather, I quickly throw one leg in front of the other, my hair whipping behind me, and my clothes sticking straight to the front of my body and flying backwards. This speed is tremendous! Before I know it, I cross the finish line, running a couple extra meters cause I couldn't stop myself properly.

When I come to a complete halt, I give myself a couple of moments to gather my energy and relax a bit. The burst of energy really took my breath away! I turn back to Goku, to check how I did, but find him staring at me like I'm an alien with three heads who just claimed dominance to all cows, or something. He looks down at the stopwatch with awe, and to the running field with disbelief, then back up to me. Uncomfortable, I bend down, and grab my water bottle, which Goku brought across, and sit down to soothe the slight ache in my muscles. He finally speaks. "What just…? Did that…" He turns to me quickly. "Bulma, do you know what you just did there?!" He rushes up to me causing me to recoil backwards, and kneels by me, putting his hands on my shoulders and smiling widely, all while shaking me vigorously. "Do you know how fast you were going, or what you did _at all?!" _

"No…!" I try to make out, with my body being flung in all directions. "What did I do? What was my time?!"

He lets go of me quickly, letting me fall backwards onto the ground, stands up, and pumps his fists. "I knew it…I _knew it!" _He laughs like a child, and turns away me, laughing in glee. "I knew you had potential!" Once more, heflips around to face me again, and pulls me up. "Bulma, you probably have no idea what just happened…" I nod. "…and you probably have no idea why I'm so happy, right?!" This, I nod vigorously to. "Okay, okay, so listen here." The amount of happiness he's radiating is actually quite cute. "Basically, your time came in at a solid 11.4. Not bad at all for a girl who claims she hasn't run in years, yeah?" I freeze.

"_My _time, Goku? I think there might be a problem with your stopwatch over there." I scoff. "There's no way I could get a time of 11.4 seconds normally."

"Yes, that's correct!" Goku blurts out.

"...Wha…? Then why…"

"Well, okay, let me explain. Thing is, when you were half way there, you were at a time of 9 seconds. Continuing at that speed, you would've gotten to the finish line at around 18 seconds. To be honest, I didn't expect anything more." He mentions with his hand to my legs, which were as skinny as any kitchen utensil you'd see in a restaurant. "But, halfway through, you concentrated immensely on trying to finish with a good time, I could tell. You concentrated your energy into one point of your body, and let it go to grant you extra power. You finished the 50 meters in around 3 and a half seconds."

I look at him, with disbelief and quite confused. " 3 seconds…? Wait, what do you mean by extra power…?"

"Okay, so, everyone in the world has a ki, or their energy force, basically. People who train and are stronger have a higher ki, and those who're weak have lower ki's." I nod. "Unfortunately, now, you have quite a poor ki." I nod once more. It's to be expected. "But, in that moment, when you were running and passed the halfway point, did you feel a burst of energy?" I bob my head again. "Did you feel the power coursing through you, your fatigue wash away, and felt like you could run a thousand miles if you wanted to?"

"Yeah!" I exclaim.

"And most importantly. Did your vision turn a slight blue?"

"Yes! It did!" I nod excessively.

Goku laughs once more, throwing his head back and pumping his fists. "I knew it!" He throws his head back down to me, obviously trying to keep from laughing. "Okay. What you did was you took your energy, your life force basically, and you were able to magnify it to your true potential, which, by the way, hasn't even been trained yet and is still pretty amazing." I stare at him. "You already have a great control over your power, and I was able to see that in the run!"

"…So you mean…"

"You wanted to finish faster, so you unconsciously boosted up your ki to fulfill that purpose. "

I gape at him, flabbergasted. "So…then, I unlocked my true potential because I needed it?" He nods. "Then, what about the blue tinge?"

"Well, everyone's ki has a certain color. For example, my Kaikoken has the color of red, and when I go Super Saiyan, it turns the color of gold." I'm starting to understand now. "Apparently for you, when you boost up your ki, you gain a light blue color for your energy. Not that it does much to alter the power of it, but hey. Explanations!"

…Whoa…am I actually _good _at something physically? Besides looking amazing? But still, there's something nagging at the back of my mind."…You know, there's still one bothering me, though. If I was able to do this now, how come I couldn't do it when I tried to finish the 50 laps?" He smiles.

"Sure. Well, when you were doing the 50 laps, you had exhausted yourself quite easily. As I said before, you're deriving your power from your life force, from your energy. If you're tired, there ain't much to grasp for, is there?"

"Oh, okay. I get it."

"And, there might have been more to it. When you were running the laps, your confidence was slowly shrinking. You didn't feel as if you could do it, and therefore your body didn't give you the energy needed for such a transformation." He puts his hands on his hips, and thinks a bit. "As well, the current emotions you had by not finishing the exercise could have impacted what happened now. If you were frustrated and disappointed in yourself for not finishing the laps then, your drive to finish this one with flying colors might have affected your ki." He turns around, and mutters. "Just like Gohan, huh…"

I stand still, letting my mind reel for a bit. This is all sort of hard to grasp. Goku looks at me, as I wipe away some sweat, tilts his head, and turns around, looking for something in the bag. Ignoring that for now, I sit down, and clutch my bag in my hands, pulling out my water bottle and taking sips from it again.

So, basically, what Goku's saying is I have quite a bit of dormant power beneath my weak exterior? I remember him saying I could actually overtake his normal form in speed if I try hard enough. No _way _could I beat his Super Saiyan form…unless if I could get _really _good at managing and manipulating my ki, though. And, Goku _did _say something about energy control as well, how I could have a natural affinity for it. Pretty cool. Maybe I should stop denouncing myself internally, and start believing I could do this. I sip once more from my bottle, and lay is down next to me. Heh, if practically the strongest being in the universe thinks I'm good, then maybe I could improve, even if Goku's probably being nice.

And, something else which I've been thinking of. Goku's _extremely _smart. It's actually ridiculous. Yeah, he's kind of oblivious to things he's not used to, but, seriously here, if he was able to learn like we did, he could be smarter then me. Maybe I should take that into consideration as a thank you present for him.

"Bulma! Are you hot?" …Wait…wha…? "Here!" Suddenly from above, a massive amount of water collides with my head, splashing over my whole body, and getting everything around me wet.

"Holy freakin' dragon balls!" I scream, throwing my bag in the air, stand up instinctively, then just freeze from the shock of what happened. I turn around sharply, dripping wet. Goku's floating above me, laughing his ass off at my odd exclamatory phrase. The bag lands soundly besides me, as well as the bucket Goku used to kill my mood. Did I say smart?

Never fucking mind.

"Ahaha…holy freakin'…_dragon balls…_Bulma?! Haha, even _I've _never said…haha… such ridiculous things!" He bends over, slapping his thighs, and still chortling loudly.

"Goku, what the _hell?! _Why did you throw water all over me?!" I exclaim. He's too busy laughing to answer my question. "Goku!"

His knees hits the floor, his hands start pounding it, seemingly never to stop laughing like it's a disease. "Your…haha…sentence…your _face! _It's _too much_, oh my god!" He continues. "J-just…give me a…haha…moment…!" He starts up again, stronger then before.

My annoyance building by the second, my eye twitches and I bite my lip in anger. I think of one thing to do, and one thing only.

Revenge.

Hastily, I rush over to my fallen bag, open it, fiddling with the zipper a bit as my fingers were wet and slippery, and pull out a large bottle of water, our spare storage. I open the lid quickly, run over to Goku's hunched form on the ground, who's _still _laughing, and in one abrupt movement, throw the water all over him.

His shrill, girly shriek grants me the most satisfaction I've had in a _long _while.

Immediately, he jumps up and glares at me almost adorably. Now, it's my turn to lose it, as I burst out in laughter. "Oh my god, _oh my god!" _I hunch over and clap my hands like a retarded seal. "You screamed like a girl! You screamed like a _girl, _Goku! I never thought I would hear something like that coming from _you!_" I look up, and suddenly, he's out of sight completely. "`Haha…oh no…" I see him briefly flash behind me, and the alarm bells in my mind set off. "Oh _shi-"_

Goku picks me up so abruptly it leaves me yelping in surprise, quickly flies over to the lake positioned around 10 meters from our original place, and with a chuckle of dark satisfaction, tosses me in it nonchalantly. I scream in disbelief as my body flies through the air, and as soon as my back hits the exterior of the water, a thousand ways to kill Goku in swarms my mind. I break through the surface of the lake, and get swallowed in the brittle water almost immediately. _No way. Did he seriously just do that? Did he seriously __**just do that?! **_As I open my eyes and prepare to swim out of the freezing water immediately, I look up to see Goku laughing even harder then he was before, very, _very _stupidly doing it within my grasping range.

Heehee, revenge time, once again.

My air running out, I swim to the bottom of the lake, which was actually quite shallow considering how deep lakes usually are, and push off of the ground powerfully. As I travel through the water with extra velocity, I notice Goku's still unaware about what's going to happen, and I find my smile becoming larger.

I break the surface of the water instantaneously, and catching Goku off-guard, grab his shirt with one hand and his pants with the other. As I'm not strong enough to pull him in, I push off of the side of the lake, twist my body so I'm facing away from him, and literally throw Goku into the water to join me in my waterlogged fate, of course, without giving him enough time to protest.

My giggles don't waste anytime in coming out, as a show of smugness and I clap my hands in glee at still having the upper hand in this mini battle. Goku's head breaks the surface slowly, turned away from me. His hair flattens down a bit, and lets me see that it's actually pretty long, and his shirt now sticks to his crevices perfectly. Not much time is given for me to analyze that, as instantaneously, he turns around to me, quite possibly the most evil smirk I witnessed planted on his face and his eyes slit dangerously.

My heart leaps, my mind utters _danger._

"Oh_ shit_." I whisper. "It's not done yet, is it?" He nods. I gulp, and blink. And once more using his speed as an advantage, he's gone. "No! No, no, no! I won't fall for this again!" I flail around, trying to detect where he is. "I absolutely refuse to! I won'tfall for this again!"

"Are you sure?"

I whip around, to meet a huge wave straight in the face which pushes me backwards quite a bit. The slap of the water stings my cheek, as I scoff at his notation. Seriously, now? You're gonna fight me in my best element? Where trickery and smart maneuvers reign at the top?

A water fight he wants?

A water fight he gets.

I dunk my head underwater, and peer through the liquid to find Goku's legs paddling, and turning to find my position. Thank _god _I have a low ki. He might've been able to find me, then. Quickly, I dive down deeper, and pass below his legs to come behind him. With a scream of valor, I rush out of the water, and jump onto Goku's shoulders, my legs wrapping around his throat, and shoving him down into the water. Quickly, I untangle myself, and seeing he's recovered almost immediately, I swim up to him once more, and throw a massive amount of the liquid in his face. He recoils almost immediately, leaving me with no choice but to flee. Unfortunately, he quickly catches my foot with his hand.

"Damnit, no!" I start to kick wildly to free my foot, but Goku won't have any of it. His other hand grasps my leg, and pulling me closer to him, soon wraps around my waist. He lifts me up like I'm a feather, and with but a mere grunt, as I yelp in protest, throws me once more into the water. As soon as I break the surface, I formulate a evil plan. Why not drag him into the water using his own articles? Using the velocity I gained by his toss, I swim down to the bottom of the lake, and take a look at the easiest thing to grab on Goku. Either his shirt or his pants. …Well, why not both?

I swim up to him, with an all too familiar path, and grasp the top of Goku's pants and his shirt quickly, leaving him yelping in surprise, something I could hear even beneath the water. No time to waste, I rapidly pull down his clothing, and bring him down underwater, him resisting all the way, but unable to escape. Do to the crash of his body coming through, down into the interior of the lake, the bubbles block my vision, preventing me from seeing anything. Damn! Where is he?

I feel him swimming around, unable to see around him as well, and I feel something flowing in my hands. The bubbles slowly fade out, giving my slight access to Goku's face, but nothing too major as it was the back of his head. Then, as if by magic, the bubbles fade away, and Goku turns around, giving me a sight in which I would have never imagined I'd see within the last decade.

Goku floats there, in the water.

With no _pants or shirt on._

Which means…he's only clad in _boxers._

…Kami help me.

I flail in the water, glancing down quickly at the pants and shirt in my hands, and almost involuntarily looking up, taking in sight of this rarity. Goku's massive muscles on his arms flex, contracting freely and flowing gracefully, his abs looking like something you'd see in a magazine, only 200 times better, showing off his 8 pack clearly, and his legs, hairless, oddly, but the muscles on his limbs are large, very, _very _large, and clearly show how he's so fast. My blush explodes on my face immediately, one of my reasons for crushing on him so easily shown, as Goku peers at my hands, eyes widening when he realizes he's nothing on and I'm holding his attire. I throw the clothes out of my hands instantly, and swim away as rapidly as possible. From in the water, I hear Goku laugh with malevolence.

Oh _shit! _If he gets near me like this, I'm going to lose it! I break my head out of the water, and form into the freestyle stroke, to help speed up my escape. If he gets to me, oh god. I'll lose two things. The water fight _and _my current sanity. I continue ahead, and peer up to see the end of the lake around 30 meters away. I'm close! I'll be fine! I could win this, as long as he doesn't do something like…

My hand is grabbed, and jerked backward powerfully, causing me to crash into something hard and built, but warm. Goku reaches his right hand across my body to grab my far wrist in an irresistible grip, and loops his other arm around my waist, proving his dominance in power. What's more, he also wraps his legs around mine, due to the fact _he _can stand in the water, and I can't, and shoves my rear end against his lower torso.

…that.

I can already predict the red on my cheeks. I can already predict the flush, the blush, the heating of my body, _everything. _Yup. Just, you know, an _extremely _attractive and powerful man who's _topless and bottomless _shoving my body into his in a show of dominance, in a lake, completely and utterly _alone._ _Totally not _gonna react like any other girl with a crush, and I'll be _perfectly fine _with this.

I can't speak. My mouth is garbled by his grip, by his stomach, by his face on my neck, by _everything. _Why does this _always _happen to me? Why can't he be all touchy-feely with another person? One who _won't _die at a mere touch?

He laughs mischievously, like a kid who just stole cookies from a jar. The press of his stomach against my back is too much. I find myself biting my lip in an attempt to stop the scream building up. "I win! Can't do much if I'm holding you, eh?"

I try to respond, but end up sounding like a retard. "Y-yeah, o-okay. You win, G-Goku. You can l-let go now…"

"Sure, sure." His hand leaves my wrist, his arm detaches itself from my waist, his legs unwraps around mine, and he swims to the end of the lake. The warmth gone, I actually miss it. When he gathers his shirt and pants, he looks at them for a while, and mutters. "You know…I never had this much fun with Chi-Chi…I wonder why." My heart swells. "Heehee, we should do this again!"

Now, as I'm able to speak, I look up to Goku and smile. "Yeah! I guess…" I look at him staring at me, still with no shirt or pants on, and turn around hastily. "Now put your pants and shirt on, fool!"

"Oh, yeah! Sorry about that!"

"No, no big deal." I whisper the next part. "It wasn't any consequence of mine, certainty." As he wasn't able to hear the last part, Goku tilts his head in confusion. I shake my head, with a hasty grin. "Nothing, nothing!"

He smiles brightly, zips up his pants and throws the shirt on, much to my…is that _disappointment _I feel?! …Ugh. Anyway, and mentions that we should start to head back. "What?! Aren't we gonna train more?"

He smirks. "Of course! You're gonna walk back, all the home."

"…Are you _crazy? _It'll take _hours!" _I bellow.

He thrusts a hand forward, and I grab it. He propels me out of the water skillfully. "Then you better begin now!"

I groan, and glare at him as I walk over to my materials. "You're going to the afterlife for this."

"Hell, I've already been there! It ain't that bad!"

* * *

** GOKU'S POV**

I'll have you know, it only took Bulma a mere 6 hours and 38 minutes to get home.

By then, our clothes had dried, and the food was already _past _cold.

It's around 5:30, and the sun is starting to set. We're just on time for the sunset!

Now, Bulma looks at the front of the Capsule Corp. building, and back at me, as I stand a bit behind her. She laughs nervously. "Um…so. Am I gonna have to climb up, or…?"

Oh! "Um, no problem. You've worked hard enough for today." I walk up to her, and grab her hand. "Hold on tight, yeah." She nods, gulping in apprehension, one hand grasping mine, the other clutching the picnic basket. Quickly, I bound off of the ground, and fly up to our eating place, the highest point of the building, and land softly on the floor. Bulma, who took the jump quite well, rests the picnic basket on the floor, and opens it, bringing out her signature strawberry cheesecake. I cheer in delight. "Yes! You actually did it!"

"Did what?" She looks puzzled.

"You made the cake again!" She laughs. She brings out two pieces of cake, and gives both to me. "…Why are you giving me your piece again?"

"Oh, well, you seem to like it a lot, so I made spare. It's fine, I already ate quite a bit on our way here." She giggles. "Plus, you really seem to like strawberries, don't you!"

I tilt my head in awe. "How do you know that?"

She shrugs, and grins. "I've been with you for so long, I was able to pick it up~!" I take a bite of the cake, and nod. As yesterday's cake was good, today's was amazing.

"Seems legitimate, I guess." When I look up, I notice her eying the cake next to the piece I was eating, with suppressed want in her eyes, and obviously thinking I can't see it. I laugh heartily, and she gasps a bit. "Bulma, your eyes give it away."

"Give what away?" Her eyebrows crease inwards, and her virtuous smile replaced by one of hesitation. She knows alright, that she wants the piece. It's almost comical seeing her debate with herself in her mind, as her facial expressions change so rapidly.

I decide to save her from her inner torment. "You want the cake! Well, you like strawberries more then I do, right?"

It's her turn to look at me in awe. "How do you know that?" She tilts her head upwards, and stares a bit at the sky. "It's not like I tell people, you know."

I look up to the sun, which's now halfway swallowed up by the earth, and smile. "Remember, on the first day we met? Where I almost killed you, and you almost killed me?" Her laughter breaks through the silence, and I find myself chuckling along with her. "Well, when I took you inside, you explained how, when you thought about gathering the Dragon balls, you actually considered a life-time of strawberries for your wish."

She stares at me in wonder. "And you still remember that far back?"

"Well, yeah! It's kind of hard for me to forget! I mean, that was the day I made my first…" I reach my hand over knock her head a bit. "…and soon to be _best _friend. It was actually one of the happiest days of my life!"

She gazes at me, curious. "I see." Then, slowly reaches forward to grab the plate with the other slice of cake on it. As I see her cut the piece, I can't help but look at her face when she takes the first bite, then begins reveling in the fact of "How she's such a good cook". I laugh at her display of never yielding confidence, and lay backwards on the ground, slowly letting my eyes close in a peaceful bliss.

…Only to have water thrown at my face for not paying attention to what my best friend was saying.

* * *

So, sorry for the minimal progression, but Goku's understanding his feelings! ...Kinda.

...So, who here wants to get into a water fight with a half-naked Goku? Everyone, or everyone?

**Anyway, please read and review! All reviewers are responded to! Love ya all! :D**


	5. Diminutive Bonding and Possibilities

**I'M SORRY PLEASE DON'T KILL ME NUUUUU.**

Okay, I'm really, REALLY sorry for giving this chapter out so late. Our school gave a TEDx TALK event, and I was the main organizer. I haven't a break since then, so yeah. I'm trying my hardest, I promise!

_**YUP YUP, HERE WE GO. MASSIVE PLOT PROGRESSION! :D**_

**Okay, so the usual! Please read and review! I reply to each review I get, and all of them are held close to my heart! :D**

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_**REPLY TO GUEST REVIEWERS~**_

_**TO LXS:**_Hehe, bro, don't we all look like a wimp next to her? XD

Yeah! I've read one-to-many stories where the other characters are completely disregarded. I don't want to do the same to this one.

Oho, yeah, definitely. Especially Krillin. I mean, we love him, but god, stop dying! And, you're right. I guess that sometimes they're just brought in to emphasize the horrible trial called death, and not for much more.

...jhdsljkhflskjhsadlasfd ;_; THANK YOU OH MY GOD WHY ARE YOU SO KIND? I dunno if I have a lot of readers, but the ones who make themselves evident are the most lovely people to me! Including you, especially! :D

**_TO QUEENBEE:_**Aww, you're so kind! Thank you! I'll do my best to keep the chapters coming!

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I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I am not writing this for any profit, merely for enjoyment.

**Enjoy!**

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_**~CHAPTER FIVE: DIMINUTIVE BONDING AND NEWFOUND POSSIBILITIES**_

** BULMA'S POV**

** "**Training's done for today. Thank the lord…"

I open the door to my house, breathing in the cool, 'air conditioned' breeze of our indoors garden and proceed to slowly make my way past the living room, and up the stairs. My legs ache a bit from the excruciating exercises I did before, so I make sure to take each step as gently as possibly to reduce the amount of burning my muscles give me as I do this simple, but troubling nonetheless, task.

Finally, the steps are conquered, so I waddle to my room slowly to gather the supplies I need for a shower. Wondering about my cleanliness, I smell my underarms hesitantly, and almost gag at the nasty odor protruding and destroying the usually pleasant scent of my body. "Unbelievable! How could I let _myself _get to such a point?!" Forgetting the pain in my legs, I rush over to my desk and pick up my special shampoo and conditioner set, as well as my body wash, scrub, spray, and everything else that could get this pungent smell from _off _my body. "I think this is all…" I mutter. Even though my hands and arms were filled to the brim with cleaning supplies, I still resent the fact I didn't go with my mom to restock on my beauty and hygiene apparatus. I walk up to the door of my room, and kick it open, as my hands are full, and prepare to walk over to the bathroom.

When I finally reach the washroom, a most inconvenient task do to my temporarily paralyzed arms, the door is slammed open in my face immediately. I yelp and recoil backwards to avoid the door, more rapid then I usually would have, and note the training's already showing some results. Not much time to speculate on that, as Vegeta, clothed in only a bath towel, struts out of the room, signature glare etched on his face and arms crossed in defiance to the world. He notices me standing there, and looks me up in my face, peering at the redness of skin and the perspiration on my temples. "You're sweating, once more." Then, he proceeds to move his head downwards, scraping over my body. "And you've lost some weight, as well. I'm curious to find out what you've been doing these past few days, woman."

"Hah!" I scoff. "None of your business, little man." I turn around from him and walk into the bathroom, and with a last ditched retort from Vegeta who tries to make out "'I'm not little!", I close the door and walk up to the shower. Putting my supplies down on the extrusion of the wall, I then take care to strip myself of my clothes. As each sweaty piece of material comes off my body, the odor, which I so unfortunately hold, pushes though stronger, almost making me gag. Quickly, I take off every last piece of my articles, throw 'em in the hamper, and pull my arms back to take care of the rubber band holding my hair together almost painfully. With a sigh, I stretch my arms upwards, and curl my toes, yawning a bit as my fatigue washes over me, and place a foot on the cold tile of the shower. I bring my other foot through as well, and grasp for the supplies on the wall, placing them in the bath as well.

I walk up to the water control, and flip on the tap for the showerhead to start working. Immediately from above, the liquid, a bit colder then I would have liked it to be, rains over my head, wetting my hair and shoulders instantaneously, and moving on to cover the rest of my body. I reach over and turn the dial to make the water's temperature rise minutely, and groan as the warmth from the newly warm liquid relieves me of my aches and sores, and soothes my body. I grasp for the body gel, and grab my loofa from the bottom of the shower. Lathering up some of the soap, I scrub all over my body, struggling quite a bit as I hit my back, but successfully finishing it, nevertheless, soon stepping under the shower head to wash the soap off of my body.

Then, I reach for the shampoo and lather some up in my hands, and then place it on my head. Kneading slowly, I intricate the strands of my hair roots with the bubbles, massaging my scalp gently, and let it rest for a bit. Then, after waiting a few minutes, I step under the brunt of the water, and using my hands as a catalyst in a sort of way, help remove the bubbles and soap from my hair. I repeat the whole process once more, then coat my hair with a layer of conditioner.

Breaking out my brush, I turn the water off and proceed to connect my hair with the wooden extrusions. I pull downwards, and flinch a bit as the tangles fight back, preventing the appliance from moving by entwining itself into the wooden tongs. I slowly break the brush out, and repeat the process, trying to tackle the matted hair. "Funny how this hurt a lot more before, when my hair was in better condition then this…" I mutter, continuing the quarrel between the brush and the hair. "It seems as if I'm starting to get used to pain!"

I bang the tip of my toe against the shower in my excitement.

"…Never mind."

Finishing up with my combing and ignoring the dull throb in my big toe, I hum my special song and turn the water back on, removing the conditioner from my cleaned strands. After making sure every last lump of conditioner is gone, I shut the water off for the last time, and grasp for a towel by the side of the shower. I successfully grab it, and wrap it around my body as I step onto the floor. Taking another smaller towel, I wrap it skillfully around my head, making a turban-like structure adorning my forehead upwards. I glance over to the mirror, by the side of me, and grin pleasantly as I see my face, looking refreshed and awake. "Isn't someone looking as pretty as ever?" I coo, coming closer to the reflection of my face, and touching the nose of it playfully. My eyes widen a bit, though, as I realize what Vegeta was talking about before.

I turn my head to the side, and speculate about the newfound crevices on my cheekbones, as well as a sharper rise of the side of my countenance. I've lost a bit of weight from off of my face, and well as on my neck and upper arms. My collarbone shows though easily, my neck muscles are evident and come out stronger. And that's all I can see from the mirror. It's not like I'm starving myself or I'm becoming anorexic though, as most people would think, as I'm already quite skinny. But, my muscles have gotten bigger, and are showing through mildly. I flex my arms, and note the small bump of muscles. I haven't even worked on my arms yet, and there's already muscle showing through in a week of training! This is actually working!

I then look down to my legs, and flex them almost excitedly. Unbelievably, my calves protrude, not powerfully, but visibly, something that's never happened before, and something I'd like to keep as a feature. "Well, it's not much…" I stop flexing my leg. "…But it's something, I guess. I'm making progress!"

I drop my leg from the position it's in, and proceed to do up my face with my cosmetics and beauty supplies. The process takes easily over 20 minutes. When I'm done, I wrap the towel more securely around my body, grab all of my supplies and proceed to open the door of the bathroom, and take a step out.

"Finally. You humans take so long tending to your body."

"Oh my god!" I shriek, jump a foot in the air, and chuck everything I hold out of my hands. Flipping around, I glare at Vegeta, who's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, as usual, and peering at me strangely after I threw my belongings around him. "Vegeta? What are _you_ doing here?!"

"I need to speak with you, now." I tilt my head. Never, had he requested something like this. I proceed to pick up all of my supplies from off the ground.

"Why?"

"Reasons."

I scoff. "Sure, sure, but just, could we do it in my room? I have to get changed into…well…clothes, at the slightest." He looks me up and down, and shrugs.

"Just hurry."

Taking one long stride after another, he takes off, heading towards my room. I struggle to keep up with him, and I hear him chuckling, no doubt, about my lack of speed. He opens the door to my room, and almost gasps in disgust. "Why do you own so much sanitary and beauty supplies?!" He makes out. I shrug, and stride past him in my room, placing all my supplies on the desk near my bed. Meanwhile, Vegeta just stands there, too disgusted about my sanitary products to lift his foot from off the ground.

Hah! Who would've thought practically one of the most powerful beings in the universe would be repulsed by something like a bedroom?

"Are you coming?" I murmur from over my shoulder. I walk over to the bed, and sit down softly, placing my right leg over my left, bending my torso slightly downwards and cupping my face with one hand, patting the space besides me. I make sure to pull a grin, to release the obvious tension in the air. He scowls at my familiarity gesture, and merely walks up to me, not sitting on the bed or the floor, and glares at me.

…Well, then screw trying to be friendly.

"So, what is it you want?" I mutter, irritated at Vegeta's permanent attitude.

"It's regarding that boy…the one with the purple hair we encountered a few days back."

I raise my head up at this. "You noticed it too? How…_familiar _he seemed?"

He nods. "There was definitely something off about him. I wasn't able to place it after hours of thinking over it, and thought you would have noticed something." Vegeta's usual monotonous voice echoes the bit of curiosity he no doubt holds towards the boy.

"…And another thing…He shared a resemblance with you and Goku, appearance wise. It was kind of…peculiar actually." I 'hmph', referring back to my mental snapshot of the boy. "When I saw him first, I thought he looked quite like you." I observe Vegeta's mouth, curved in his signature scowl. "Something about that frown you guys both share gets me thinking."

He peers at my face for a bit, before sighing and rolling his eyes. "Even so, I was more intrigued by how he leered at you." Vegeta crosses his arms, and tilts his mead minutely. "Whenever his eyes would meet with yours, he would blush and look away hastily. It was as if he knew you."

I scoff almost unnoticeably. "Well, whoever he was, I've certainty never seen him before, nor do I know him from anywhere."

Vegeta now plops down gracefully on the floor, crossing his legs quickly and his arms almost temperately. I tilt my head slightly at his unprecedented movement, pushing away some stray strands that made their way out of the towel covering the rest of my hair. With this reminding me that I still haven't changed yet, I hop off from the bed, and strut over to my closet. As I open the closet door, I make sure to block my body from Vegeta's vision using the piece of wood skillfully, and proceed to remove the towel from my body and head, letting both hit the floor nonchalantly. Unfazed to the fact I was naked, Vegeta stays in his place, cross-legged on the tiles. I feel almost offended at his lack of effort to peep. "I wonder what Kakarot and the boy were talking about." I sigh. Guys and their priorities, I tell ya'.

"Heaven knows." I make sure to swoop my voice a bit higher to show my exasperation as I pull out a cupboard from the closet. I search through the endless supply of undergarments. "Goku didn't spill anything else besides the unfortunate news about the androids and the disease he might contract. Nothing besides that." A giggle escapes my mouth. "I just thought he would trust _me, _if no one else." I shrug my shoulders, and throw on my underwear. Then, I reach up, balancing on my toes, and strive for a large t-shirt, which belonged to my dad before I stole it for a pajama. Quickly, I place it over my head, pull it down and attempt to push my hands through the openings. When I'm done with the task, I propel the door of the closet closed.

Vegeta's face is one inch away from mine.

"Holy _shit!" _I jump backwards, and trip onto the floor, landing soundly on the side of my bed. I slam my shoulder into the corner of the structure, and jerk something out agonizingly. The pain almost makes me cry out, but I hold in my yelp in fear of being snapped at by Vegeta and retort as feverously as I can. "Do all of you Saiyans enjoy scaring the crap outta me, or what?! Some kinda past time or hobby, or do you all want to see me die of fright?!"

Vegeta's unfazed and completely ignores my protests. "And why would you think Kakarot would trust _you, _of all people, to keep his secret?!"

I lean backwards on the side of the bed in defense to his slight bellow and clutch my shoulder reflexively as it burns. "No, no, you're missing the point. I've been with him the longest, since the beginning of everything." I raise up one hand in a sign of passiveness, as I couldn't move the other one. "He's shared everything with me in the past, and I would've expected the same now." Vegeta doesn't relent, and the throb in my shoulder becomes increasingly agonizing.

"You humans always deem yourselves to be most important, don't you." He walks over to me, and reaches his hand out to pull me from the floor. I relent, and connect my hand with his. Immediately, his fingers intertwine with mine intensely and quite powerfully, Vegeta raises me up, lifting me off the ground a bit causing me to whimper, and places my feet on the floor.

To hide the probable bruise on my shoulder from him, I somewhat hastily tug the sleeve of my shirt downwards in an attempt to mask it. I disguise the look of pain on my face into passiveness, and wipe a bit of sweat from off my forehead. Imagine if Vegeta would've seen me whimpering over a slight bruise! The mocks and retorts would be endless.

Vegeta takes one look at what I'm doing, and scoffs almost immediately. _Damn! Am I __**that **__easy to read?_ I blink, and he's gone.

"See, I'm not as oblivious as Kakarot, woman. It's quite obvious when someone's hurt. Trust me, I've seen it enough to tell." I jolt. Behind me, Vegeta scoffs, and grips my unharmed shoulder vehemently, preventing me from moving.

I slit my eyes at this _very _odd display for the Saiyan. "Come on, Vegeta, it's nothing. Only a small bruise." I mutter. Gotta hit low…gotta hit…perfect! "Why would the _Prince of all Saiyans…"_ I make sure to lower my voice drastically for that part. "…Care about a small wound on a human girl?"

"Can you shut up?" He snaps. I scowl venomously. Vegeta pulls up the sleeve of my shirt, and peers at the mark there. Not being able to see much, I'm only able to make out a few blurs of blue and purple. "This is quite bad. When did you get this?"

I sneer. "Is someone getting worried~?"

Vegeta actually manages a chuckle. "Not in the slightest. I just wouldn't want your condition to hinder the time it takes to repair the Gravity Chamber, heaven forbid it might break."

My jaw drops minutely. "Nice save." I mutter. "Anyway, I think I might have gotten it when I fell backwards after you appeared suddenly, out of nowhere, right in my face. I banged my shoulder kinda hard against the side of the bed."

He drops my arm and struts in front of me. "You should put ice on it and elevate it. It's bruised quite severely and could possibly get worse." He turns around to look me in the face. His eyes are slit dangerously. "If you treat it properly today, you could use it fine tomorrow." With that, flips away once more. I take this moment to pull down my sleeve, and examine the bruise. Before I could do much, though, an ice pack smacks me square in the face. As it slides down my countenance, I glare at Vegeta, who brings himself out of a throwing position.

Vegeta, in the split second I had turned away, rushed downstairs and gotten an ice pack from the fridge. In half a second, he was able to travel countless floors, go through the majority of our indoor garden, get into the fridge, find the ice pack, and then go all the way back up to me. Not to mention throwing the ice pack at a slow enough velocity that it wouldn't hurt me, which probably took up time. I gape at his boundless speed, ignoring the slight sting throbbing in my face from the impact of the item, just awed. See, _that's _where I want to be.

He's already out the door. "This "injury" of yours, if you can even _classify _a bruise as that, shan't affect your productivity and speed at repairing the chamber, you hear me?" I scoff, but despite myself a small smile escapes onto my lips.

"Whatever you say, little man."

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**GOKU'S POV**

I stay still, reading the air, examining my surroundings, listening for rustles and feeling for ki. I remain in my position for a dozen of seconds, sharpening my attention as the seconds go by.

I freeze for a moment, as an explosion of energy suddenly breaks through the seemingly peaceful surroundings, and spirals towards me in a blaze of purple and yellow. I jolt a bit, and dodge quickly to my side, protecting myself from the explosion sounding not too far away from me. Reading where the ki came from, I shoot around in that direction. I lock onto my enemy, and mutter a quick "Aha."

Pushing off the ground fiercely, I rush forward, stretching my arm across my front and behind my shoulder with a twist of my torso, and to my enemy, who's ki gets more violent by the second. I come face to face with Piccolo, and swiftly bring my hand down for his neck. He dodges fluently, and throws his leg up, hitting me square in the chin. The pain almost non-existent, I stop myself from bolting through the air, and quickly grip the large protruding shoulder pad of Piccolo's and the lower area of his shirt-like clothing. Using as much power as I can, I throw him soundlessly through the air, like a missile, and rear my hands backwards. I bring a foot forward and place it audibly on the floor and using the power from my stance, I throw my hands forward powerfully, putting them palm facing front and adjacent to each other, and summon all the energy I have into my arms. I feel minutely as the ki courses through my muscles and bones, and finally breaks out by the tips on my hands. The blue energy is blinding, even in the oblivion of the night, and shoots out with the speed of a bullet. Piccolo, who is still hurtling through the air spins his body in order to dodge the beam and does so successfully, though sloppily.

The energy still seers his shoulder, and leaves a severe burn mark on his skin. He laughs it off, though, as he stops himself from soaring any further by landing and crouching vertically on a tree, and pushes against it, propelling him at a blistering speed towards me. As soon as he reaches within hitting range of my body, he swings his foot forward. I parry with my arm, and send a punch towards his body. He dodges, and disappears from sight, only to end up behind me. Before I have time I turn around and look, he slams the side hand against the back of my neck.

I drop to the floor against my will, and watch as Piccolo then gears up and prepares to stomp his foot downwards. As he does so, I quickly clamp my hand around his leg and pull him towards me with as much power as I can summon. Outstretching my knee, Piccolo's torso lands soundly against my bone, and I see the force from the attack blast out from behind him, creating a miniature shockwave. Now it's Piccolo's turn to fall down, and I hop up and shake off the pain, laughing a bit as my sparring partner decides to try to stand up for another attempt to hurt me. "We're done for today, Piccolo."

A smile forms on his lips, though with a hint on malice. "So we are." He stands up shakily, and brushes himself of the dirt on his shirt, clutching his chest in pain. I notice this, and rustle in my bag for some senzu beans. Finding one, I hand it to Piccolo, and he places it in his mouth almost hesitantly. I pop one in myself, and feel the energy I had lost course though my body immediately. Gotta love those beans, I tell ya'.

I look up to notice Piccolo lowering his head and clasping his hand around his wrist, obviously thinking about something intently. He doesn't even notice when I bring my face close to his, enough for my breath to hit his ear, and stare at him like an owl, hoping to get some kinda reaction out of him. I hear him mutter, whisper about something, and make out Bulma's name though the clutter of nonsensical words and phrases. I step away for a bit, biting my lip a bit in apprehension. "What about Bulma, Piccolo?"

He jerks wildly, and looks at me, bewildered. "Was I thinking out loud again?!"

I nod, and he bites out some incoherent words. Unfazed, I press on. "So, you gonna tell me what's up?"

He opens his mouth hesitantly, and pauses a bit. I tap my floor in slight impatience. I wait for half a minute for Piccolo to say a word, before suddenly he blurts out. "I overheard the whole conversation between you and Trunks."

_"…W-What?!" _I lean forward, and place my hands on my thighs in disbelief. "Why…._how?!"_

He points to his ear. "I have an extraordinary sense of hearing, something which you humans or Saiyans could not comprehend."

"I see…" I tilt my head in amazement. "But, wait! What does Bulma have to do with that?"

He looks upwards, avoiding my eyes and gazes at the stars in the sky, looking oddly serene. "Lets go up on the roof and speak there, shall we? I don't want…" He peers at my house, and tunes into Chi-Chi screaming at Gohan to get ready for bed. "…_unsuspecting ears_ to tune into our conversation." I nod.

"Why not."

We both push off the ground powerfully, and soar up to the roof of my house. I land on the ground and sit down immediately, while Piccolo remains up in the air.

"So, I was able to pick up a large problem with everything Trunks told you. Especially how he came to be." Piccolo mutters, floating cross-legged in the air. "We do not know who the father of Trunks is, and this could prove to be a fatal obstacle." I nod. "Vegeta and Bulma are in no position to be getting a baby anytime soon. Their emotions regarding each other are way too hostile. But, to insure that our future avoids the apocalypse, Trunks must be born in this dimension, otherwise there would be no one from the future to give the younger you the antidote."

My mind spins. "So, wait, Trunks _must _be born _again?"_

Piccolo contorts his face in disbelief. "Did you not understand a word I said? How, if Trunks is not born now, could there be a Future Trunks?"

"Oh, okay! It makes sense if you say it like that." I remark cheerfully.

Piccolo scoffs, and shakes his head, muttering. "The fate of the Earth is in _your _hands?"

"But what does this mean, Piccolo? What do I have to do to insure Trunks is born?"

He perks his head up, finally glad I was catching on. "Do you remember when Trunks explained how he didn't know who his father was?" I nod. "And how you could be a possible candidate?"

This, I nod vigorously to. "But Trunks said that most likely Vegeta who fathered him. And, why would I marry Bulma when I'm already married to Chi-Chi?"

Piccolo tilts his head in confusion. "What would this have anything to do with being married? You don't have to marry-"

"Isn't that how kids are made? You get married, and then poof! You get a child! Isn't that what happens?"

Piccolo looks at me bewildered, then to my surprise, breaks out into hysterical laughter. I give him a few moments as his chuckles protrude the atmosphere. "No!" He bellows, smile still placed on his face. "Are you joking with me, or…?"As he sees my face contorted with uncertainty, he removes the grin from off his face, and gapes at me. "You mean…you really don't know?"

"No…?" I murmur.

"And yet you still had one…" He looks at me oddly. "You are quite the person, Son Goku…"

"So, all I have to do is have a kid with Bulma?" I observe.

"If it seems that Vegeta will not pull through, yes."

I stay silent for a bit. "But…Chi-Chi told me I could only have a kid with the one I'm married to. Wouldn't this go against what she said?" I shudder a bit at the thought of going against Chi-Chi's word, and incurring her wrath.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to choose the wellbeing of the world over what's right, Son Goku. This time, you can't appease everyone."

"…Wouldn't it seem as if Bulma is the bad person, though?" I murmur. "I mean-"

Piccolo interrupts me soundly. "She hasn't been of much use to us before, so she should be pleased she can serve as a help for once." His venomous tone gets under my skin, and his words almost anger me.

"She's helped before! You guys don't know it, but she constantly tries to back us up!"

"Oh, I'm _sure. _She's done much good by charging around, shrieking in

ballistics when an enemy comes near her._" _Sarcasm might as well be dripping from off his words. He changes the subject before I get my chance to retort._ "_But, this whole traveling in the futuresubject is quite a complex one, isn't it?" I nod, whole-heartingly agreeing with Piccolo's words, letting the remarks about Bulma go.

"You've said it."

I look to the sky, observing the stars as they shine brightly and meld with the oblivion of the vacuum of space. This is quite the ordeal. How could I actually make a baby with Bulma? I'm already married to Chi-Chi, I already have a son with her. I can't just turn on her, even for the sake of the world. There are some rules I can't afford to break. Even if I don't fully understand the idea of love or marriage, nor do I even know how a baby is made, it wouldn't seem right to do those things with more then one person. Even for the sake of the world, it's just not right!

…But…

Bulma's face appears in the night sky, piercing the darkness with her bright smile, hair flittering through the wind and eyes focusing on the scenery around her, alight in a blaze of amazement. She giggles, and closes her eyes sweetly. I feel myself, despite the knowledge of it being an illusion, reach out to touch her face, disappointment washing over me when I can't feel a thing. My arms remains outstretched in a desperate attempt to feel her smooth skin on my hands, or to hug her tight.

For some reason…if it's with her…with Bulma…I feel my apprehension washing away. It's as if I can throw away the rules if I'm breaking them with her. No matter what my consciousness says, I still understand that this will become reality. That I'm going to have to throw away my regulated life with my family to maintain the wellness of the Earth. My family will be devastated if they found out, broken, my reputation will shatter, no one would trust me, I'd never be held close to them again…If I screw this up, my relationships with my friends would pretty much be over.

If that's true…if all of that is true…Tell me, Kami…tell me, anyone who can hear me!

Why in the blazes am I looking forward to this…?!

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**Ohoho, can anybody see the plot progression? Feel it? TASTE IT?!**

**Okay, no. **

**But, you can obviously see the developed feelings that Goku's undergoing. Once again, he's completely oblivious to the actual connotations of having a kid, so he's just kinda in his own, semi realistic world. XD**

**And Vegeta and Bulma are getting closernotreally! :D**

**Please, drop a review or a favorite if you like the story! I won't bite, I promise!**


	6. Accusations and Realizations

**Hey all! I'm back with another chapter. And early, too! :D**

****Hehe, I felt the only way to make up for my extreme tardiness on the last chapter was to give this one out rather early. So, tell me what you think, okay? :D

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**Reply to Guest Reviewers:**

**_None this time. ;U;_**

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_****_I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I am not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.

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_**IMPORTANT: MASSIVE PLOT PROGRESSION. PLEASE READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY. KEY POINTS FOR THE LATER CHAPTERS ARE ABUNDANT IN THIS ONE.**_

_**BEWARE: THERE IS SOME SWEARING AND COURSE LANGUAGE USED THROUGHOUT THE CHAPTER.**_

Please read and review! All reviews are replied to, and are held extremely close to my heart! :D

_Enjoy!_

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_**~CHAPTER SIX: ACCUSATIONS AND REALIZATIONS~**_

**GOKU'S P.O.V.**

The mental alarm clock in my mind does off with a audible ring. Already, huh? I wanted to sleep a bit longer!

…Oh well! I'm looking forward to today, anyway!

A certain blue-haired girl pops into my mind immediately, and a smile makes it's way onto my face. For now, I've decided to practically disregard the whole Trunks issue, and continue on as normal. So far, I've been doing pretty well!

It's been two weeks since I started training Bulma, and I have to say, she's made some amazing progress. The thing is, she constantly tries, day after day, to complete those 50 laps she struggled with so intensely on the first day. And it always ends the same. She tries hard, gets to around 30 or 40, collapses, and then throws up. I have to say, she's trying quite zealously, but surely she's going to actually _hurt _herself if this continues on. I told her she was absolutely not allowed to try again after the thirteenth day, but she was set on finishing those laps. So I made a deal with her. She has to train my way for at least a month, and then we'll see about the 50 laps thing. She was happy simply at a chance of continuing the challenge, for a reason besides my understanding. Maybe it was a just a girl thing. Haha, anyway.

Slowly, I rise out of bed, peering into the darkness, careful not to wake up the girl beside me, and gently remove the covers over my body. I look at Chi-Chi's back, her hair tied up in her signature bun, her pajama's unruly and ruffled, chest sluggishly rising and lowering, and her eyes and lips closed, not turning around to reprimand me for getting out of bed so early. I lift one leg up, and reach it over to touch the floor, following with the other, steadily pushing the pressure of my body weight on each and taking extra care to prevent the resonation of the creeks from the floorboards around the house. I quietly strip myself of my pajama shirt and sweat pants, and strut up to the closet. Seemingly as controlled as possible, I open the door of the clothes cabinet, and swipe through each and every outfit. Concluding that it doesn't even matter what I wear aesthetically, I pick a while tang-top, once more, and since I'll be running too, and get some fitted pants which would help me move more efficiently. Quickly, I throw the tang top on, stretching my hands and arms out to give them the space they need to fit though, taking precautions not to knock anything over. I quickly put on the pants, struggling a bit as they tend to stick to the shape of my leg, and once the task is done, let out a sigh.

I turn around, though, to find Chi-Chi sitting up on the bed staring at me, frustrated, and utter a small yelp. I whisper to myself a few incoherent words.

Her mouth opens, and I brace myself for the influx of exaggerations and accusations that tend to be the topic of our conversations these days. But what comes out next is simply not what I expected. "When are you going to stop letting yourself be used, Goku?"

I freeze a bit, and tilt my head. "What do you mean, Chi-Chi?"

"Well, why else would you need to step out so early?" She mutters. I feel myself flinch a bit, for no apparent reason.

"It's not early, Chi-Chi!" I laugh a bit.

"Goku, it's 3:30 in the morning." She crosses her arms in annoyance, and removes the covers from her body. "Why are they calling you out now?"

"Why does the fact I'm leaving have to mean I'm doing something for our friends?" Honestly confused, I walk a bit to the side of the room, and flip the lights on, so I can get a better look at Chi-Chi. By now, she's propelling herself up on the bed, and lifting one leg over to take a step down.

"Because that's usually what happens, Goku." Both feet on the floor, she starts to make her way closer to me. "And I'm sick and tired of you having to sacrifice yourself for everyone else, when it could be only us and Gohan."

I slit my eyes in massive confusion. "I'm not sacrificing myself for anybody, Chi-Chi. I protect my friends 'cause I love them." Tilting my head, and sitting down on a chair in front of a mirror, I turn to Chi-Chi, seeing as she blows air out of her nose and her anger starts to grow exponentially. Either way, I continue talking. "What brought this up, anyway? You were absolutely fine when I got home yesterday!"

"You were gone suspiciously long over these last couple of weeks. I didn't want to bring up a problem because Gohan was around, but you can't leave for this long everyday without giving me a plausible reason." She taps her foot against the floor, slitting her eyes dangerously.

"I already told you, Chi-Chi! It was nothing; I was just out training someone. That's all!" I throw my hands to the opposite sides for emphasis. "It was no-"

"Look, Goku!" She snaps suddenly. I find myself flinch back a bit. "Those "friends" of yours have given you nothing but trouble! They're only making your life harder and more dangerous then it needs to be! You don't need to train them or do anything else for them!" She scoffs a bit. "And frankly-"

"Wait, wait! Chi-Chi, what are you _saying?!"_ I interrupt hastily. "These are the friends who've spend years with you! That _you've _always been fine with! How can you say such things about this suddenly?!" I laugh nervously, shifting my eyes back and forth throughout the room to keep my eyesight away from Chi-Chi's piercing glare. "You love them, don't you?!"

Chi-Chi places her hands on her hips abruptly. "I tolerate them mildly, or else I wouldn't allow you to continue seeing them!" My heart clenches, my stomach starts to tighten up, and all together, I feel like I'm being squeezed tightly. "…but you've to understand! They're troublemakers, Goku! They-"

"And so am I, Chi-Chi!" I retort.

"But you can stick up for yourself! They can't!" Chi-Chi now resorts to screaming, her temper exploding, as usual, quicker then the average person's. "You answer their every whim and call, Goku! They can't do anything, and constantly rely on you to pull them out of the mess they've made!" She rolls her eyes, and scoffs a bit. "Especially that blue haired girl…Bulma, wasn't it?" I jerk.

"Bulma isn't using me, Chi-Chi!" I explain, baffled. "I thought she was your best friend! You should know that more then anyone!" I feel a bit of annoyance stir under my skin, as Chi-Chi continues her assault on my companion.

"Of course you would say that, Goku! Because you're kind! Because you care! Now that the Yamcha guy is out of her life, she would attack anyone else to gain love, even if it's only physical!" Chi-Chi stomps on the ground, and sends a small crack through the wood.

"She's not like that, Chi-Chi!"

"And just how would _you _know that?" My ears reverberate from the ridiculously loud pitch Chi-Chi's voice develops. "She's not a good influence, Goku! You should get away from her, and the rest!"

I shake my head rapidly. "Why, Chi-Chi? Why this all of a sudden?!"

Chi-Chi's screaming pierces my ears agonizingly. "Because I know what's best for you, and you ought to start listening to me once! She's a player! She'll use you only when you can serve a purpose, when you can give her something, but throw you away the moment she deduces you to be of no use! She's not your first friend! She's nothing but a fake!"

Now I convulse rapidly, as my temper spikes up exponentially. Struggling to control myself, I stand up from the chair I was sitting on, and rapidly come near enough to grab Chi-Chi's shoulders. Her eyes display fear at my sudden action, and I clench mine dangerously. I open my mouth, and shakily whisper. "Stop denouncing Bulma." I breathe. "Now." I let go briskly, turn around sharply and gather my materials from the other closets, as Chi-Chi glares at me as I do everything. I call my Kito'un, and wait as it nears by the window, giving nothing but a mere glance to the girl across the room, who's getting more annoyed as the seconds go by. As Kito'un nears to the window, and I climb onto the windowpane, Chi-Chi exasperatedly gasps, frustrated at my behavior.

"You're still going?!" I don't bother to answer with words, just merely nod my head. "I don't get it! Why? Why do you consider those people your best friends?! Why do you do so much for them when could you do so much for your family?" She crosses her arms across her chest, and taps an impatient foot. "Excuse me? Where are you going?!" I merely shrug my shoulders, still trying to cool down, before replying quickly and nonchalantly.

"Training my best friend."

With that, I leap out of the window, soar through the air, land perfectly on my cloud. With a flip of my hair, and a last glance towards Chi-Chi, who's practically out of the window screaming my name, I begin my descent to the Capsule Corporation.

* * *

In the air, flying through at blinding speeds to the suburban, my mind throbs excessively. My shirt throws itself in my face minutely, so I pull it down and tuck it in for the flight, playing with my hair a bit as the job is done. I look down at the trees obscuring the ground from my view, and a tad bit at the birds that constantly fly overhead me. I do anything to distract myself from my thoughts, but my mind skims over one thing, and one thing only no matter how hard I try to quell my musings.

_"When are you going to stop letting yourself be used, Goku?"_

"_Those "friends" of yours have given you nothing but trouble! They're only making your life harder and more dangerous then it needs to be! You don't need to train them or do anything else for them!"_

_ "You answer their every whim and call, Goku! They can't do anything, and constantly rely on you to pull them out of the mess they've made! Especially that blue haired girl…Bulma, wasn't it?"_

_ "Now that the Yamcha guy is out of her life, she would attack anyone else to gain love, even if it's only physical!"_

_ "I know what's best for you, and you ought to start listening to me! She's a player! She'll use you only when you can serve a purpose, when you can give her something, but throw you away the moment she deduces you to be of no use! She's not your first friend! She's nothing but a fake!" _

I tremble. My hands grip the fabric of my shirt hard enough for my knuckles to turn white and with enough intensity to draw the smallest amount of blood. I bite my lip, shivering as Chi-Chi's words pierce my mind painfully. Every remark...every observation she threw together get the gears turning in my head, making me contemplate over everything that's come to be.

No, Goku! No. Do not go there.

I lean back a bit on the cloud, and close my eyes, reveling in the feeling of the wind swooping through my locks, caressing my face and gently blowing my clothes back against my frame. I focus the sound of the leaves floating to and fro in the wind, the soft hum of the breeze, the almost inaudible crash of the waves against the shore, _anything._

But it's not enough. I laugh cynically.

"I wish I could marry everyone. If that means being able to go out and spend time with my friends without being reprimanded, I would."

My smile breaks, and so does my resolve.

I finally _consider _Chi-Chi's blatant words, after resisting so hard against them for so long. My will gives in, I'm no longer able to hold up my so called _fortress _any longer. Is it true? Is that all the relationship between me and my friends are? A lie? Am I a simple tool for them to use if needed? "Well…" I sigh. "I defended Bulma pretty hard, eh? I don't even know if Chi-Chi's wrong." I look up into the sky, and let each of said woman's words pass by my mind, contemplating the meaning of them. "…There's no way Bulma is like that." I feel my heart being squeezed abruptly once more, by what's like a thorny whip that permanently attached to my organ these days.

_ "She's a player! She'll use you only when you can serve a purpose, when you can give her something, but throw you away the moment she deduces you to be of no use! She's not your first friend! She's nothing but a fake!" _

"…Chi-Chi has to be wrong."

I mutter this constantly, I try to obnubilate the constant influx of thoughts saying so otherwise.

But, why? Why, all of a sudden, did she attack everyone? I've been gone from the wee hours until sunset for a week, true, but it's not like it's everyone's fault. I chose to do this; I _want _to leave the house. Staying in a building with Chi-Chi hour after hour kind of sucks the life out of me, no matter if I like her. She restricts me, I can tell. I don't feel the passion for adventure, or excitement of any kind, radiating out of her, and that dulls me. She's a sweet person, yes, but not someone I want to be cooped up with for days.

But, with Bulma, it's kind of like…I can _breath. _She has this _thirst_ for adventure, positioned close to her heart. She likes excitement, and even though she's rather scared when her life is in danger, I know she wouldn't miss a good old quest any day. I mean, that's the reason why I'm out here. That's the reason why I've met so many wonderful people, the reason why I'm as strong as I am, the reason why the earth isn't gone, the reason for everything. _She's _the reason. She's the friend who had gotten me out of that small house in the mountains, and convinced me to go on my first _real _adventure. I look down at the approaching Capsule Corp. And, I'll stick by Bulma 'till the end, whether it goes against Chi-Chi's wishes, or not. This is something I avow to openly, and I won't let anyone quell these feelings I have of her.

Certainty, my thoughts should be clear now. I should be done with this topic, it should be absent from my mind. The thought was to be nonchalant about it...I was supposed to hold insouciance for the matter after I had contemplated it so deeply.

And yet, I still feel the dread, the _fear..._clouding over my certainty. Obscuring it from my feelings. Even as I draw ever nearer to the house, this feeling of trepidation hangs over me like a thundercloud in a summer's day.

Close enough to see the cracks in the paint of the house, I fly in closer to Bulma's window, and get ready to jump in. I do, and land perfectly on the floor of her room. Sitting on her desk and tinkering with something, she shrieks louder then on the first day I came in her room, tosses the items she had in her hands high in the air, hastily catches as many as she can, and proceeds to tuck herself away from sight behind the bed. Unfortunately for her, the movements send her tumbling towards the floor comically. I gape at her, confused but humored, and soon as she glimpses sight of my face, she stands up shakily, throws her hand, which's holding the items of interest behind her back, and proceeds to look at the clock to the side of her bed.

I've spent 30 seconds with Bulma, and my mood is already lighten past the point of where it started off.

"Goku! It's only 3:57!" She taps her foot on the floor of her room. "You're supposed to come at around 4:30!"

I smile a bit. "I'm surprised to see you're up, Bulma! I thought you said you couldn't wake naturally before 9:30?" I laugh. I expect her to laugh along with me, but suddenly her face turns a shade of pink, and she proceeds to look down shyly. I tilt my head at her odd actions. "Is something wrong, Bulma?"

She shakes her head, and proceeds to squeeze her hand behind her back tighter. Only then do I pick up on a slight jingle coming from behind her.

Ah…I think I know what this is! She's hiding something from me!

I try to keep the smile on my face as small as possible. "Hey Bulma~!" I playfully sing. She gasps a bit as I come forward. "You've got something behind your back, eh~?" Once more, she inhales, and shakes her head 'no.' "Are you sure~?" She gives me the same response.

"Fine then~!"

I rush towards her, and she yelps as my body nears her. Moving quite fast, she ducks under my hand, and sprints to the opposite side of the room. As I quickly hunt her back for the item she was holding, I catch more then a couple of objects being held, probably more then 5 or 6. I glance over to the desk, and see pieces of scrap metal, as well as some…are those metal _beads? _

I continue to chase her around the room, still trying to figure out what the item is, before she climbs over her bed, and almost adorably traps herself in the corner between the room and her mattress. I chuckle a bit, and Bulma turns around, squeaking when she realized her mistake. Soon, though, she sighs, a smile on her face as she hunches her shoulders in defeat. "Damn. I thought I could actually beat you." She sighs. "And it was supposed to be a surprise!"

I laugh, and reach my hand forward to grasp hers, gently opening her fingers. In her palm, lie around a dozen dog-tag necklaces. Each have a small machinery in the middle, and resonate a faint, pulsating chime. I look up at her face, tilting mine curiously. "What's this, Bulma?"

She laughs a bit. "Well, I was thinking about stuff…you know when you left earth for around a year or two? We were all so worried when you refused to come back, 'cause we didn't know where you were and all…" She looks down at her palm briefly, but brings her head up, a small smile etched on it. "So I made these!" She holds her hand up, looking like someone you'd find in a video game. "These necklaces are, in essence, the same machinery as the dragon ball radar, but instead of tracking stones, it tracks the other necklaces." She explains it in a way in which I get a bit confused.

"So, they're kinda like necklace radars?" She nods.

"Yeah. If we all wear one of these, we'll never get lost again!" Her smile lights up again.

"But Bulma…that's why we track each other's ki! So we won't get lost!" I laugh a bit, but she proceeds to pout.

"Yeah, _you _guys can, but people like me and Chi-Chi and the rest of us _weaklings…_well…that's a different story." My mouth opens wide, as I finally understand the purpose of the necklaces. "The necklaces also show the percentage of life you're at, like, where the percentage of dying from your injuries, as well as the person power level. And plus, if one of you guys gets stranded in space, we won't have to search the whole universe for you." She takes one from her hand, and puts the rest down on the table. "The thing is, you can also turn off the tracker like you do with your ki. So if an enemy gets their hands on it, we won't get caught."

"But how will we know when someone else's got one of ours?"

"Hey, now, I'm not stupid, you doofus!" She giggles, and I laugh right along with her. "Listen. The necklaces are blood-bound." She turns the dog tag over, and I catch a glimpse of the screen where our locations'll be held. A tad bit below that, is a small hatch, which Bulma opens gingerly. "Simply, you put a small drop of your blood in here…" She takes my finger, and softly pricks it with her nails. "…and it'll remember your body, what's inside of you, everything." From there, she places my finger in the opened hatch. The machine stirs, and from the screen, my name pops up, soon registering my location and showing it on the screen. My dot is alone, for there's no other registered devices. Bulma tosses the necklace around my neck. "If anyone else gets a hand on it, it automatically senses the user is not its owner, and send a message out to everyone." She grins, no doubt contemplating how she could be so smart.

I don't know either. I mean, she's really amazing…! "I see! You're real good at this, Bulma!" Her grin grows.

"Heehee, it's cause I care about you all!"

My eyes widen. My heart twinges. Chi-Chi's claims somehow make their way in my head again. But this time, instead of haunting me, they merely serve to prove my point about the woman in front of me. I knew it. Chi-Chi _had_ to be wrong. Everything she said...everything that Chi-Chi shrieked at me paragraph after paragraph of cruel insults...in one sentence, Bulma had quelled it all. People say power lies in those who can use their words wisely. And I'm literally 5 inches away from living proof of that.

"I've been working on them for about a week now, but I've only finished two." She picks up another one from the bed. "You should give the other to Chi-Chi, yeah? You guys shouldn't get lost from each other, and she'd want to know where you are all the time, no doubt." The constricted grip around my insides return. Bulma tilts her head after noticing my face grimace and hands me the other finished one. "All you have to do is get Chi-Chi to prick her finger, open the blood hatch where I showed you, and put her blood in." Bulma smiles purely. "I actually think this worked out quite well! You certainly have no need for my location as of late, you can sense the other's ki's, and she _is _the closest woman to you. I'm sure you'd be worried about her the most, anyway, and as a-"

…Enough. That's enough.

I silence her by grabbing her wrist quickly, and before she had time to yelp, bring her hand up to my mouth. Placing a single finger inside, I bite down as gently as possible to draw some blood, and I sense her jerk a bit. I squeeze her palm lightly to calm her, take the finger out of my mouth, grasp one of the necklaces and open the blood hatch.

I place Bulma's finger on the opening.

The machine reacts immediately, and her name lights up across the screen, soon zooming out to show her location, right next to mine. I let go of her hand, reach for the other necklaces, and throw them in the garbage. She gasps. I ignore the notation, and fish for a Band-Aid from my pocket. When I look up at her face, it seems as if the blood vessels in her cheek had exploded, turning her face a bright red. She stares at the necklace screen for while, thinking about what just happened, stuttering over her words, something extremely unlike her. "…G-Goku, you d-do know…you j-just…um…" She squeezes her hands together, and brings her head up. "Goku! The necklaces! What about everyone's location?" She hesitates. "What about _Chi-Chi location_?! She'd want to know where you are-"

"Enough of Chi-Chi." I mutter. I look at Bulma's face, her eyes open, her mouth parted and slightly panting, her face a vibrant pink. I look over her posture, her stance, everything. The girl who's my best friend, who it seems many people want to shut out, but still continues trying to help. "I want to know where _you _are, and I want to be the _only _one to." Her eyes widen immensely and she inhales sharply.

…I don't…understand the feelings I hold for Bulma. I know she's a friend to all, but…I feel, sometimes, that _I'm _the only one who should be close to her. She knew me first, after all. While I can't pinpoint exactly the kind of affection I have for her, it sure is strong, maybe even to the point of idolatry...and I guess I'm a bit…possessive over her.

See…

It's_ her. _It's all about _her. She _was the one who brought me out of the mountains to protect her, _she_ was the one who saw something in me, whether it be my strength or heart, _she_ was the one who wanted me to accompany her so I could protect her. That mission, that _goal,_ is why I'm here today. I look at her face once more, her mouth open, ready to speak.

"What…? What do you mean, '_You want to be the only one'_?! I made the necklaces for ever-" Once more, not what I want to hear.

"What I mean is…" Quieting her, I come closer, and grasp her hand. I can feel her breaths caress my face as they come out, parted and warm."…I want to be the only one to protect you…I want be the only one who you call on for help, I want to be the only one to save you." I let the lids of my eyes close halfway down, showing to Bulma I wasn't joking. "Only me." I'm her guardian, her knight in shining armor. If she got me away from those mountains only for my strength, then so be it. I'm the only one who needs protect her, the one who she will call on first in times of trouble. I don't care if Chi-Chi doesn't like it. Frankly, now, I could care less about what she has to say. I've always been Bulma's hero.

And, frankly, it's gonna stay that way, whether Chi-Chi likes it or not.

"Now…should we go? We're following a new routine today, yeah?"

Dumbstruck, she continues gazing down at the necklace, speechless and very, _very _red. But, in an abrupt movement, she slowly pulls her hair up, and places the necklace around her neck. "Yeah…" She brings her face up, glistening with a smile brighter then the sun.

* * *

**BULMA'S POV**

Never have I ever been as close to fainting then at that moment.

_Ever._

His hand gripping mine, his mouth uttering such intimate words…but, the connotations of those phrases is really what had me shivering.

_"I want to know where you are, and I want to be the only one to."_

_ "…I want to be the only one to protect you…I want be the only one who you call on for help, I want to be the only one to save you."_

_ "Only me."_

The amount of… selfishness…_possessiveness..._that Goku radiated at that moment was so _unlike _him. It was shocking, really, to the point where I couldn't speak, I couldn't move, I couldn't look away. I just _couldn't _think _of anything_. My mind was reeling, my heart was thundering…I just wanted to know…

Why? Why does he want me to only rely on him? Why is he so possessive over my dependence? Is it something to do with his pride? Or something else, something more…intimate…

I freeze.

No. No, no, _no, _do _not _go there! He's married! He's _married, _for heaven's sake! He's way out of my reach! Why do I keep striving and trying when I understand that? The sooner I realize there's zero chance of us actually being _something_, the sooner I'll be able to get over this stupid little crush. I mean, there's no way I could actually love him. It's unreal, it's not pragmatic, and frankly, such an assumption would be completely out of line with my usually brilliant deductions. So why does it constantly tear at the back of my mind?

"Hey, Bulma, are you coming?" I gasp, as the voice of the person who's been invading my mind constantly rings through my thoughts of him. Now, I'm brought back to reality, where I'm forced to, once more, make a grueling decision.

Do I sit on Goku's lap for an hour, or do I walk for what it seems _much _longer?

I whimper a bit. I have to, once more, choose the former. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll ride with you." Just like a week back, Goku's grin becomes way too wide for comfort. "Keep laughing like that every time I agree to ride on your lap, and I'm gonna start thinking the Old Timer's ways got etched into your brain." I giggle.

"Ahaha, come on! I'm waiting." I walk up to the window, grabbing my bag and picnic basket on the way. Goku's already on his Kito'un, fiddling with his necklace, smiling, much to my joy. I'm glad he likes it. Thought I didn't expect him to like it _that _much, it's still a warm gesture.

"Okay, so what? Am I gonna have to jump out of the window or…? You know, when I say I want to train, there are other _safer _ways to-"

"I know~!" Suddenly, he's behind me, and just like the first time, he loops his hand around my waist, and jumps out the window, not even giving me enough time to yelp in surprise. Swiftly, he flies through the air, landing soundlessly on his cloud, plopping me down on his lap and telling the cloud to go. Everything is almost exactly like our first day, singling rushes of déjà vu through me.

Except now, he immediately wraps his arms around me, pulls me into him actually quite roughly, resting his head on my shoulders, and bounding his legs securely around mine, leaving my rear grinding into his…um…yeah. Even though it's unintentional, my heart leaps out of its position, shooting up like fireworks.

What?

_What?!_

"Um, Goku…? You know…I, uh…" I stutter. "I didn't try to pull my hair back, you know…"

"I know."

"So, um, why are you holding me so close?"

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"Well, I mean, you're-"

"Haha, well, even if you _have _a problem with it, I ain't lettin' go."

My eyes open a bit. "…Wha…? Why?"

"Well, cause, I feel that you're safer if I hold you like this."

"Safer from what, Goku? There's no one around."

"Safer from everything, Bulma. Just, safe enough to put my mind at ease."

"And why would it make a difference if I was one inch away from you then touching you?"

"Because you're close, you're near, and I can feel you. And well, frankly I like it more when you're close to me." His innocence pulls at my heart.

"Goku, I'll-"

"No. I'm not lettin' go." His grip around me gets tighter, and he proceeds to nuzzle his head in the crook of my neck.

This guy…!

This…this isn't right. He doesn't know what he's doing. He probably thinks this is something normal, which happens everyday between friends. Sooner or later, we're gonna get caught. And he's gonna pay the price. No matter how much I actually enjoy this, I might as well tell him, so if anyone catches us, he won't get in trouble.

"Okay, Goku…" Well, here we go. "I need to tell you something."

He refuses to move his head. "What?" The hot breath coming from his mouth is almost enough to make me shiver.

Stay with it Bulma. Stay with it.

"Look…" I hesitate, trying to think of a way to bring this across in terms Goku'll understand. "…Friends…they just don't do this sort of thing."

I feel his head tilt on my shoulder. "What sort of thing?"

"Well, like, holding each other real close, being intimate with each other and…" My mind wanders down to the very peculiar placement of my rear end. "…well, they don't do… they don't do _this."_

"But what's wrong with it?"

"Well…we're normal friends,Goku. You're married, and contact like this is something I can only do if you're not married, and aren't in a romantic relationship. Normal friends don't do this, so we shouldn't as well." I sigh, propelling my hands backwards and trying to move Goku's head off from my shoulder. He resists strongly, and much to my surprise, his voice drops dangerously.

"We're not just _normal _friends, Bulma. We're more then that." He proceeds to dig his face deeper into my neck, causing me to tense up. Does he seriously think this is what friends do to each other, or has he been watching the Old Timer's shows a bit too much? Either way, he's certainty experienced with making me die inside. "We're more then best friends, as well. I don't care if this is not what most people do, I don't care about these _marriage _rules, or whatnot." He laughs, and my body melds into the vibrations of his body. " I want you near me, attached to me, just _close._ I mean, I love everyone, but…" He sighs. "See, I just regard you closer to me then everyone else." My heart leaps. Is he _really _saying this? Goku? "I mean, you helped me get out of the mountains, did you not? Although taking me out on my first adventure, to you, was probably no big deal, the memory of that day is burned into my mind permanently. I was pretty happy on that day…"Once again, he laughs heartily. "…And, look! You're the one who indirectly introduced me to everyone! If it wasn't for you, I'd still be training in those mountains…" He freezes. "In fact, if it wasn't for you, the earth'd probably be destroyed!"

"Oh…" I whisper.

It all makes sense now.

"I guess, that's why I just…_love _you, you know? I love everyone, but you're my closest friend. And doing this is the only way I know how to bring it across."

My hands drop from his head, which were previously trying to move the weight from off my neck, as I finally give in. I lean backwards into his chest, closing my eyes, and enjoying the warmth he radiates into my body. I fiddle with my hands, and seeing as I don't have anything to do with them, Goku clasps his hands with mine, securely interlocking the digits of his fingers with mine.

It all makes sense now.

I know this is wrong. I know I shouldn't be doing this. But I do it anyway, despite my conscious telling me it's dangerous. I should probably listen to my inner self, but I resist easily. But hell, you know what? I've realized something. I've realized something extremely important. All the feelings, all the swellings and yearning heartaches, the nights spent in wondering, the songs, the picnic baskets, the attraction, the blushing, the strawberry cheesecake, the water fight, the necklaces…

It all makes sense now.

Everything. My breaths come out in hushed rasps.

I love Goku.

I lean my head further into his chest, and he doesn't mind. I've loved him since the beginning. It wasn't a silly crush, or a mere infatuation. I _love _Goku, every bit of him. The reason why I've missed him more then anyone when he's gone, the reason why he's all I've been able to think of…My thoughts are clear, my mind finally free of confusion, and my heart's feelings are revealed, but my mind could only mutter a single thing.

...Shit.

* * *

**Okay, first things first. Bulma's feeling towards Goku didn't actually change. In essence, she's simply found out what they mean. She can't fall in love that fast unless she's already been in the state for a while, which is the case now. **

**So, things aren't looking too bright, are they? I won't tell you why is actually a bad thing that Bulma's fallen for Goku, as I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself.**

**Please review, guys! I really need the feedback to make the story as good as it can be! :D**

**Till next time! :D**


	7. Affinity

**And yet again, I'm late with the next chapter. I'm sorry guys. Not to make excuses, but my exams are coming up, so I have to study for them, which is what I've been doing day in and day out. As well, this chapter is so incredibly long, it's just ugh. **

**I'm sorry for delaying the chapter as long as I did, and even more sorry to say it might take the same amount of time to get the next one out. But I'm working on it 24/7, thinking of ideas and thickening the plot, should I not be writing it out. And, I just want to say thank you to all who've stuck with me all the way, especially since my update timings have been a bit short of extremely annoying. Thank you.**

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**Reply to Guest Reviewers~! :D**

**LXS:** Ugh, no, it's my fault. I'm updating at such random intervals. VEGETA?! BEING CIVIL? IMAGINE THAT?! XD I've actually gotten many relieved reviewers and PM's stating how they're glad I'm making Vegeta a good character. I mean, I really like him, so I don't see why not. And, Piccolo is just hilarious! Even though he's so solemn and serious most of the time, when he finally outbursts or snaps, it's key to a great amount of laughter. I agree with your point about Chi-Chi. I was certainly shocked when she denounced Goku's friends (Though I don't remember which point in the chapter or anime it was in.) and it got me thinking about how she truly regarded them. And, I can't stand girls who don't do anything to help the protagonist and completely rely on the guys to pull them out of their mess. Being a girl who knows how to fight and take care of herself, I found it necessary to portray that not all females are weak. Which is why I started this story as well. :) I think there's definitely more to Goku then meets the eye, to be honest. My theory is that he's actually pretty smart, he just hasn't the foundation that everyone else has, and therefore comes off as stupid. It's a proven fact he learns ridiculously fast, whether it be physical or mental, and once something is introduced to him, he usually doesn't forget it. Even though this is, I'm still extremely surprised someone caught on to that! Because Goku doesn't think much, when he _does _contemplate an idea or two, it's bound to linger. And, thank _you_ for reviewing! You're one of the main reasons I post chapter after chapter, just so I can get through to you somehow and continue to converse with you. :)

**GOKULOVER: **Heehee, thank you so much! I'll think about that request! Let me finish this story up, and I'll be delighted to try that idea. :)

**Cutipie: **Aww, thank you! People like you are the reason why I love writing for people~! :D

**Eli: **You're so kind! Thank you for your endearing review! I'm hoping I can make the story last that long! But it definitely won't stop at 10 or anything. XD

**Guest:** I don't know who you are or what I can refer to you by, but because your name on the review was guest, I'm gonna call you that. XD Thank you so much for your review! It made me extremely happy to know someone likes my story.

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**I do not own the DBZ universe, including the characters, places, and ideas. I'm not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**

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**Please read and review! All reviewers are replied too. :)**

**And, before you guys read the next chapter, I want to call out a gal who's been helping keep up my morale throughout the whole process of writing my story. Go and check out GVLuver, why won't you? **

_**Enjoy!**_

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_**~CHAPTER SEVEN: AFFINITY~**_

**GOKU'S POV**

The sun breaks through the horizon minutely, causing the sky to go fulvous, a mixture of red, yellow, green, and blue. The moon can still be seen through the clouds, giving us small glimmers of light and definitely a remarkable sight to behold.

"What beautiful weather!" Comes an ebullient chime from behind me, followed by a small murmur of satisfaction. I rotate to find Bulma stretching her hands out in the air and uncoiling her back, curling her toes into the grass cheerily and her eyes shut in pleasure of the slight breeze hitting us. She sighs contently.

I laugh heartily and walk up to her pleasantly. "Perfect conditions for training, don't you think?" I tilt my head with a grin, causing Bulma to look down slightly, blush, and pull a pathetic excuse for a smile. My grin twists into a somewhat childish pout.

"Y-Yeah…" Comes her timid reply. Seeing as she's still acting weird, I come a bit closer and tilt my body to peer at her face from the side. She notices what I'm doing, and bashfully declares, "W-What?! Go and set up, would you?!" She shakes her hand back and forth, fluttered, mentioning for me to go away, and flips around hastily, slamming her hands on her head. Staying put, I hear her mutter things from "Calm the fuck down, Bulma!" to "Damnit, why is he so cute?!" to "Holy Dragon Balls, I'm an idiot!" Wondering whom she meant by "he" and trying my best to hold back my laughter, I turn around and prance away. I'm trying my best to ignore her somewhat comical banter with herself, but failing miserably. Hum…anyway…I find a good, large rock, and walk up to it. This should be sufficient!

Once I'm close enough to touch the boulder, I stretch my arm back behind my shoulder, and swing it down powerfully. As soon as my clenched fist hits the surface of the rock, it breaks into hundreds of separate shards and smaller pebbles; Perfect for throwing. I notice the racket from my previous action had snapped Bulma out of her…uh…argument with herself, and she's now turned towards me, eyes widened and mouth open with disbelief.

"You're not gonna make me do that, are you?"

I chortle immediately. "No, _no!_ No offense, but you're still _way _too weak to pull off what I just did." She blows air out of her nose, and slams her hands on her hips in offense, forgetting her previous ordeal with me.

"I can too, with enough practice!" She brings her head up in an air of arrogance.

"But you're not at that point yet, nor nowhere near it." Her attitude drops immediately, as she looks at me in bewilderment.

"Why're you so blunt?!" She mutters in exasperation. Her avoidance to my eyes is gone, almost as fast as it had appeared. _Well, girls can be fickle. _She huffs and wraps her hands around her arms temperately. "So, what do you have in store for me today? We trying something new, or…?"

Oh, yeah. "Right you are! Today, I've set up a whole bunch of things we can work on. First thing first is a short warm up, though." She tilts her head in curiosity to my next sentence and leans forward in apprehension, definitely expecting and dreading a strenuous exercise to follow. I pull my necklace out of my shirt, and skim my finger over the button that activates the stopwatch. See, while these necklaces are mainly for the purpose of tracking each other, Bulma fitted many different utilities in it as well, which was a great addition. The necklaces function as a tracking device, a stopwatch, a clock, a thermometer, a phone, a camera (somehow), and many other functions, which Bulma said she'd show me later. Anyway, back to the point. "Give me 4 laps, or a mile, back and forth. Go!" I press down on the button heavily, and watch as Bulma jerks immediately. Definitely not expecting that, and apparently jubilant at the easy workout I gave her, she runs over to the all to familiar path of trees and dirt, and immediately begins her exercise. I shake my head in satisfaction with a slight smirk. She's getting better! She's not whining anymore, in the least, and her speed has increased quite a bit, as well. Not to mention her endurance has gained and improved by leaps and bounds already. I look up to already find her halfway though to the other side, and find my smirk ever growing. She's definitely doing better.

Almost hesitantly turning away from Bulma, I turn to the pebbles on the floor, and collect them all, or as many as I could carry. Waddling over to the area where we put our belongings, a bit in front of the lake that we had our water fight in weeks ago, I place the rocks down, and take a few steps away, so I'm around 5 meters away from our stuff, facing the lake. I draw a line with my foot to mark the spot, and walk back to the rocks. From there, I open my bag and fiddle a bit with the materials inside, anathematizing my tendency to over pack, before I'm able to find what I need.

Pulling out a hammock, I walk over to two trees adjacent to each other, and wrap one end of the hammock around it. Then, I do the same with the other tree, and hop on it to test it out. Feeling it firm and steady, I jump off of it, and look over to Bulma to see how she's doing. Her pace seems steady, and closely peering at her face, she's not that tired yet. In fact, I don't think she's sweating at all!

I strut back to the bags, and notice the weather getting increasingly hotter and more saturated. Alrighty then. Hopefully Bulma won't take this too negatively. Gripping the bottom of my t-shirt, I slowly peel it off of my skin, and over my head, starting with one arm and finishing with another, then toss it nonchalantly against the floor. What's next…

Once more, I bend down to reach for the bag, and mess around with the zipper again. This time, I pull out my trusty Nyoibō, and place it gingerly on the floor next to me, reaching in the seemingly bottomless bag once more for my water bottle and sit down.

I pull out my necklace, which's been chiming constantly to check the time. It says 5:34.67. I whip over to Bulma and scream "What lap are you on?!"

Nearing the end of the line but unable to see me, she bellows back. "I just finished my third!" It's obvious the fatigue is starting to get to her, but she'll be fine. It's not like she's running _50, _per say. But her time seems to be getting progressively better. She's also taking the whole process of training a lot more seriously now. I'm proud of her!

But, while this is mostly for her benefit, I can't help but get excited at the thought of her becoming stronger. She's a natural. She'll gain control of her ki quite fast, faster then any of us, she's obviously _very _enthusiastic about the whole idea of being of a use to us, which will help her drive, she has some very evident strengths, which one of them could be her actual power (Even though I've only seen bursts of it while she's angered.) but most of all, there's this…_force_ within her. I can't really explain it, but it's like a hidden potential, in a way. This innate, bestial power that, if harvested, could become a _massive _payoff for us, is just sitting in the core of Bulma's supposed 'weakness'. I don't know what it is, or how to gain it, but just…_imagine _how amazing it would be to actually gain use of this power.

Now, there's also something in this for me. I mean, possibly this is a selfish request of my own, but when Bulma becomes strong, I have this desire, this _need _to fight her. She's going to be strong. And while she might not pass us in terms of strength, as I said before, speed, agility, flexibly, and energy control will be her thing. Of course, when it comes to speed, she's gonna have to gain mastery over her energy before she'll even come close to us, but there's still a possibility. I hear the audible stomp of Bulma's foot hitting the floor for the final time and peer down at my necklace. 6:56.82. I stand up and turn to the passageway.

If she works as hard as she is now, then there will be _nothing _standing in her way.

_Nothing._

A shriek echoes throughout the woods, belonging to the blue-haired maiden, causing me to jump backwards and assume a battle position. "What, Bulma?! What's wrong?!"

Seeing as she isn't answering, I decide to turn towards her to inspect her face of fear. When I turn around, the only thing she's focusing on are my abdominals, for some reason. She stutters comically, panting and trying to gather air from the previous exercise, and her face, whether from the running or from now, what ever the deal is, is as ruby as a fresh ripe tomato. "Goku! Why aren't you wearing your shirt?!"

That's the problem? "It's getting hot out here so I took it off! You should consider it too!"

She gasps, her face contorting in shock, before she turns around and starts muttering to herself again. This time, I can only hear one, repeated statement_. "Damnit, how am I supposed to train now?!"_

I pout a bit.

You know, if my intuition is right, there's something off about Bulma today. I mean, she gave the necklace and all, but after that, she seems to obviate around me, like she's trying to…quell my existence when she's around? Now, certainly it's not so dramatic. But maybe someone had gotten inside of her head and abetted her into avoiding me in most situations she's usually normal with. I mean, she's seen me naked many times, ranging from many when I was a kid to few when I've grown up. She's seen all of my skin before, so I don't understand why she's reacting so heavily to my chest showing. I mean, it's just like her and her second butt. What's the big deal?

"Look, Bulma…" I try to persuade. "I'll put my shirt back on so we can start, okay?" I bend down to pick up my shirt and try to convince her to look at me.

She hesitates for a bit, slowly rotating, and then murmurs softly. "You…don't have to put a shirt on if you're warm…"

I 'hmph'. "Are you sure? You're acting pretty wildly towards me having taken it off."

She jerks a bit, and then pulls a guilty expression. "I'm sorry. It's just…" She gulps, and looks around in hesitation, before moving her eyes down to stare at my feet. "…Nothing. It's nothing." I decide to drop it, and refrain from putting the shirt on, much to the shock of Bulma. As she's about to turn around and go through another episode, I quickly catch her attention.

"Anyway!" I try to blurt out rapturously. "When you've taken a minute break, we'll be training your reflexes." She moans.

"Here we go…" She throws her shoulders down and curses the day to show her the abhorrent feelings she holds for such an exercise.

"What's wrong with that?" I playfully tease. She points to the rocks, pulls an adorable pout, and crosses her arms.

"You're gonna throw those at me, aren't you." Her pout gets bigger. I find myself chuckling at her face.

"Haha, don't worry! I won't throw them too hard, just fast enough to instill a quick reaction out of you. " Her jaw opens, and she drops her hands to her side limply, as if losing all control from them. She stays there and gapes at me for a while, as I stare at her in insouciance. Then, as if she suddenly gained control of her body once more, she flips around and stomps over to the rocks, hastily picking one up. She then feverously makes her way back, pulls my arm out, and slams the rock into my open palm. I look at her in amusement.

She spins around and jabs her finger at the large rock structure framing the scenery, which is easily 10 times bigger then both of us. "Throw the pebble at the speed you're intending to launch at _me_ to that rock over there." She taps her foot, obviously getting more impatient as the time goes by. I nod.

Grasping the rock intently, I stretch my arm back behind my shoulder, and fling it forward with as much resistance as I can, without the pebble falling from my clutch. The rock flies like a missile, and pierces the larger piece of stone like a knife through melting butter, then continues on to slam through multiple mountains, causing me to flinch as each rock structure is pierced and the pebble carries on. Bulma claps her hands mockingly, then turns to me with sarcasm etched all over her face. "Yeah, I can dodge that."

"Sorry, sorry!" I move my hands to obnubilate my face from her view, and expect Bulma to come up and continue to objurgate me. Which she does.

" A half fledged 'sorry' ain't gonna cut it this time, buddy! What if that had been my body?!"

I tilt my head. "You'd have died, I suppose!" I laugh a bit, causing Bulma to contort her face in shock to how lightly I took her death. "I…uh…meant that as a joke, obviously! Heh…" She tilts her head in annoyance, and prepares to strut by me. As her foot crosses mine, she mumbles something that, with her previous problems, I would've never heard from her.

"Let's do this."

My laugh wastes no time in bursting out of my mouth.

She struts up the line I made with my foot, and mentions for me to come to the rocks. Upon reaching them, she smirks, and tilts her head, waiting for me to pick one up. "Don't throw it _too _hard, eh? I mean, I may have been training for a while, but it doesn't mean I can dodge…" She turns and points to the colossal stone, more specifically at the hole I made seconds ago. "…That."

"Aye, I'll be wary of that." I make a mental note that to hold back as much as possible, and pick up the first stone, checking if Bulma was in position to start moving. I give her a thumbs-up, and she smiles in recognition that I was about to start. Here we go.

Reeling my limb forward, I let the rock fly effortlessly from my hand.

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**BULMA'S POV**

The first pebble is launched straight at me with speed rivaling an out-of-control fright train. Quickly, I lock on to the flying object, coming straight for my left shoulder and dodge quickly to the right. Another one is shot at me, coming straight at my face so I flail as rapidly as I can towards the ground. As my hands hit the grass, two more are sent cascading towards me for my lower abdomen. I hastily bound upwards, but before I had time to react, Goku sends another pebble straight at my face while I was in a state of abeyance in the air. Unable to dodge this one, it smacks me square in the middle of my forehead, knocking me backwards onto the grass ungracefully.

The soft thud of my back hitting the grass awakened me to the dull throbbing of my head, proving to me that I had failed in dodging the pebbles. The discomfort growing ever more, I glance over to Goku from my position on the floor, who's too busy pounding the ground in laughter to even come to my aid, and pull my hand to my head, covering the injured part gingerly as I sit up. I stay there waiting for Goku to stop chortling like a 12 year old who'd just been told a joke with sexual connotations in it, although not hoping for the best. Minutes go by, and Goku doesn't uncoil himself from the crouched position of laughter he's stuck himself in for a while. Deciding enough is enough, I ignore the ever persistent agony my head is giving me, stand up, stomp over to the pebble that smacked me in the face, pick it up, and powerfully launch it towards Goku's hunched form.

The smack of the rock hitting his head alerted me to my wonderful aim, and the "Ow!" resonating after gives me confidence in the power of my throw. Goku jumps up hastily, then turns to me, glare etched on his face. The intensity in his eyes almost makes blush. "What was that for?!"

I cross my arms and take this as an excuse to look away, as I throw my head up in annoyance. "You threw the rocks too hard!"

He scowls as he grabs the back of his head in agony. "They didn't even make a dent in your head!" Childishly, he mocks my reaction, crossing his arms indignantly and throwing his head upward. I roll my eyes. "And, _you_ threw the rock really hard at me!" I scoff.

"At least you won't have a bruise the next morning!"

"Trust me Bulma, I've woken up with stuff a lot worse then bruises!"

"Well I'm me! Not you! And if you want me to stop complaining, you should treat me like a human, not a Saiyan!" I pick up the rock that ricocheted off of Goku's head from off the grass and slam the pebble down in his hand. "Throw it at a reasonable speed, would you?!" I turn sharply to get away from his face before my butterflies ruin the intensity of the moment, and stomp up to the line. "Now lets start again, shall we?"

He 'hmphs' childishly, and nods okay. "I'll try, okay?" Once more, he picks up a dozen of pebbles and rolls them gingerly in his hands, preparing to throw them. I crouch in a steady position, and await the rocks to come towards me. "Are you ready?" He calls. I wave my hand in awareness, and sharpen my senses immediately. I'll do this! I was able to do it before. He takes a step forward, and sends the rock hurtling towards me.

Immediately, I lock onto the speeding object, and alert my senses to it. My body jerks, my mind sharpens, and I ready myself to move my body. As the pebble flies ever further, I bend my knees to dodge skillfully, and let out a harsh battle cry.

…Only to have the rock slam against my face and smash me into a tree.

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Sitting cross-legged on the grass, I shove the ice pack against my face, irritated, pulling a permanent scowl as I glare at Goku, who's taking out his Nyoibō jubilantly. His face red from laughing too much, he holds his stomach after a particularly brutal punch from me and continues to send out some more exultant giggles. "N-now, we'll focus on your handling of a weapon, p-particularly the N-Nyoibō." He tries hard to keep his giggles to a halt, so I don't reprimand him for it, and simply pull the icepack deeper into my forehead. Damnit, emotions! Stay at the back of my head!

"S-so, am I going to learn…um…how to use it, or what…?" He pulls a small pout, and I feel my heart leap at the adorable gesture.

"Well…I guess." He chuckles. "I'm still a bit anxious about letting you use Nyoibō 'cause my grandpa gave it to me, but I'm sure I can trust you, yeah?"

"…A-Am I the first person you're letting use the Nyoibō?"

He tilts his head, an ebullient grin curling his cheek upwards. "You're the first one I trust enough." The butterflies flittering around in my insides kick up again, as Goku's words penetrate inside my mind, reveling in them and letting them boost my spirits.

…Wait.

I squeeze the ice pack intensely as I catch my mistake once more, and dig my nails into my hand until they draw the tiniest amount of blood. I push the appliance against my forehead with added force and bit my lip in frustration to avoid the scream building up, about to burst out of my mouth

Why the hell am I allowing this love for Goku to grow?!

Why aren't I stopping it? I observe as Goku holds his hand out for me to grab, which I do, and almost immediately he lifts me up. Even the touch of his hand against mine is enough to cause my stomach to flip or my day to simply get better. And it shouldn't be like this. He's married, for Christ's sake! To let myself get closer and closer to him, and only cause this idolatry I hold for him to grow…I should be on the floor in obsecration, praying to someone that I can quell these forbidden feelings I hold for Goku. I know this is bad. I know this very well, and I've told myself this so many times over, that it should be permanently burned in the back of my mind and subconsciously brought up whenever I felt as if I had any development with my feelings. And yet, always when I need it, obnubilations occur by the time I require these rules the most.

"You alright, Bulma?" Goku peers by the side of my face, and knocks me unwillingly from my inner dwellings. The close proximity of his face almost causes me to flinch, but I hold it in for the meanwhile.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Now, don't get so close!" Gathering my senses, I gingerly push Goku's face away from mine, before he could incite any more reactions from me, with a single finger, and place the ice pack adjacent to me on the grass. Goku, from where I pushed him back too, tilts his head when he catches a glimpse of the injured part of my forehead, then grimaces.

"Ooh…that doesn't look too good." He bites his lip in apprehension.

"Why? What's wrong?" I murmur. Goku merely flinches at my question, and turns away. I find myself gasping. "Don't tell me…there's a _mark?!" _I scurry over to my bag and quickly unzip all of the pockets, frisking around for a sight of a mirror. One zipper flies open, and another one follows, as all the little segments of my rucksack are prodded and searched. Seeing as my attempts are futile of finding _something _that could reflect my image, I slam the bag on the floor, rush over to the lake, and peer through to my reflection hastily. To my horror, a massive blue and purple mark bestows itself upon my forehead, almost like neon lights saying "Hey, this lady's hurt!"

"My…my _face! _It's _ruined!" _I scream in vanity, and drop to my knees dramatically.

Goku laughs nervously from behind me. "Heh…I-it's only a mere b-bruise, Bulma…"

I whip around sharply. "A mere bruise?!" I run up to Goku and grip his shirt tightly, violently shaking him back and forth. "A _mere bruise?!" _Goku's eyes fill with fear and confusion, as his mouth is strung open from the multiple directions he's being thrown in. "Look at it! It takes up _half my forehead! _You call that mere?!" I drop him, and place my hands in panic on the side of my face. "This is terrible! Oh, my _complexion!" _I quietly break my eyes backwards to peer at the man behind me and observe his shifts about nervously, and I find him scoffing about my vanity and muttering something about girls caring too much about how they look.

I guess my act worked.

Well, lookie here. See, while I am pretty worried about how I look, it's kinda just a cover right now. What I'm pretty scared of, is this bruise painting a sign for my parents or for _Vegeta _to see that I'm training. I mean, none of them know now, and I'd like to keep it that way, but with this damn thing right smack in the middle of my face, that'll be just a _little _bit hard. I remember how Vegeta questioned me before, just because I was a little sweaty and red. I was hardly able to avoid his questions then, so imagine how hard it would be to even absquatulate! See, if this information gets out that I'm working on my abilities with Goku, it won't be hard to link that to cheating or adultery, even if what Goku and I doing is no where _near _that. I mean, Vegeta is pretty hotheaded, and if he found this out, in one of our _daily arguments, _he could threaten to tell someone about what we're doing. Not exactly the ideal situation. And my mother and father are practically the biggest gossipers in the town. Especially considering the fact that Goku is relatively good looking (_Relatively_. Hah!), my mom would be _eager _to share the information of our supposed relationship around. Once more, _not _the ideal situation.

For me…or for _Goku._

….Wow, Bulma. That was ridiculously unlike you. To put aside your appearance for the good of another! You've really changed!

I shake my head from side to side, and softly slap my cheeks with my hands repeatedly. Now, now. Focus on what's going on at this moment. Think hard and find a brilliant solution with your genius mind. You aren't the most renowned scientist in the city for nothing! Don't be caught in a state of abeyance over something that can be solved with a bean-

Wait!

…The senzu bean!

I whip my head up instantaneously from my hunched position on the floor, and leer at Goku, but more specifically the bag hanging from his trousers. He brought them along! Perfect! (Just as a side note, it's incredibly hard to focus on anything when Goku's shirt it off. Just saying.) Seeing as said man was getting impatient, I decide to postpone the need for one of the miracle beans for now, and move on, no matter how much my mind decides to dwell on the topic.

In order to keep my act in good condition, I pretend to wipe away some tears and sniffle a bit. "Fine…Let's just move on, okay?" I try to sound as blatantly annoyed as possible.

Goku's eyes widen with mirth. "About time, yeah?" He stretches his hand forward so I could latch onto it, and lifts me effortlessly off the ground again. "So, as I was saying, we're just gonna practice some basic techniques today and for a couple of weeks until you really get a feel for it. When you're able to handle the Nyoibō with decorum, then we'll move on to using it as a weapon." I nod with slight diffidence, and notice the dull throbbing in my mind begins to slowly disperse.

He throws me the stick, and I catch it with some effort. Right now, as the magical pole is around the height of me, I grip it with two hands, and pull it to the side, testing it out. "It's quite light, don't you think? This should be easy!" I raise it above my head, then down below my torso, developing a feel for the magic it holds. Attempting to twirl it, the Nyoibō soon ends up on the ground as I drop it ungracefully. I flutter in embarrassment to the floor, and hastily pick it up, tripping a bit as the stick gets caught on the floor and I try to walk backwards. Goku laughs heartily.

"You have no idea what you're doing."

My blush explodes as I retort feverously. "I do too!"

Goku's eyes fill up with amusement. "Oh really? Then, please, show me the _proper_ way to hold the Nyoibō."

"F-Fine!" I humph, trying to come off as nonchalant. Gripping halfway through the stick, towards the bottom with my left hand, and a bit above it with my right, I assume a position close to one you'd see a batter take up. I shuffle my feet so my weight is somewhat balanced, with my dominant foot and recessive in front, and hunch my body almost awkwardly. Goku takes one look at me, and bursts out laughing.

"No, Bulma! No!" He chortles some more. "Not even _close!" _

"Rude!"

"Hey, hey! It's the truth! But don't worry…" He's gone from in front of me, leaving me recoiling, and looking around, twitching a bit. He's not gonna pull something _again, _is he? Considering what he's done before (Holding me tight into his chest, grabbing me in the middle of the water while he had no shirt on, trapping me into a corner…You know, the _Goku _stuff.), I start to panic a bit. Before was before! I could stand out against him because I didn't know my true feelings. But now that I had my…epiphany of some sorts, if he lays a hand on me, it ain't gonna- "That's what I'm here for."

His chest hits my back, his arms stretch across my body and grab my wrists, and his legs tangle up with mine, while his head reaches over my neck and breathes commands unknowingly on my ear. "Let's see…"

_Shit, shit, shit, __**shit!**_

Despite my tries of regulating myself and obviating the certain reactions towards my unlucky situation_, _my vision obnubilates, causing it to go blurry, my ears and cheeks heat up surely turning red, my heartbeat is sent out of control like a stampede of elephants, and my legs begin to slowly give out, soon about to drop to the floor. My stomach flips thousand times over, and my mind becomes an obfuscated mess, but I do understand _one_ thing.

My reaction to this is _much _worse then before. And if it continues on this path, soon I won't be able to even _look _at Goku.

He adjusts my arms to hold the Nyoibō properly, aligning my hand with my feet and giving me the proper structure and balance. My feet should have been in this position in the first place, parallel to each other, and aligned with my hands. I should've know that! Goku aims a nudge at my legs to alter my standing position more, and huffs a bit when my limbs stiffen. He shifts my head up with a gentle caress, which sends my heart into a series seizures, and leans over my shoulder a bit more to peer at my overall form. "Alright! That looks good!" His hands leave my body, leaving me stuck in a state of abeyance.

Maintain your cool, Bulma. Keep calm and steady. Any abrupt movements or random reactions, and you could blow your cover. Stay relaxed and-

Suddenly being able to move, I lose all the power in my legs and drop onto the grass facedown with a groan.

A scoff resonates from above me. "Again, Bulma? Again?"

My face still burning and heart still pounding, I flail my form on the ground, trying to obviate my emotions and lay still for a bit. _The hell, Bulma?! Now you can't even __**stand **__in his presence? _Wow…this is getting out of hand. And this is only the first day since I've realized the idolatry I held for Goku! Not to mention it's still developing as every moment I spend with him causes it to grow exponentially.

But now is not the time to worry about this. I gulp a bit at the intimidating presence of the person above me.

Sluggishly, I roll over and move my face from out of the grass, while propelling myself to my knees and picking up the fallen Nyoibō. Trying to show as much insouciance as possible, I stand up proudly and act as if nothing happened. "I don't know what happened there…" I flick some pieces of grass from out of my hair. "But whatever conspired over the past few minutes won't happen again."

Goku looks at me with skeptical eyes, and opens his mouth minutely. "Maybe we should eat…"

"Oh? Why?"

"Well, you practically fainted right now…"

I chuckle. "Nah, it's fine! I simply…uh…tripped over a pebble! That's all~!"

Goku twists his lip. "Well, if you say so." He propels his head to the side, but then bounces it back ebulliently. "Okay, first, to check the strength in your arm! Go and hit that tree as powerfully as you can, using proper form and technique!"

"What?! But the trees here are so thick!"

"You can do it!"

"B-But, I lost the structure I was in! How do I recover it?"

He grins so brightly, I almost forget my current predicament and melt in his radiance. "You can figure it out. You sure are smart enough!" In order to back up his claim, he reaches for the necklace dangling around his neck, and pulls the chain to the side of his face, smirking. "Anyone who can build something so amazing can remember the basic structures of how to hit a tree." I stare at him, flabbergasted, analyzing his face a bit too intently I guess, since he blushes a bit, and then averts his eyes bashfully. "Well? Go on Bulma!"

Snapped out of my gaze and rejuvenated by Goku's mini speech, I flip around and exhale, determined. As I jog over to the large tree providing shade for our bags, I could've sworn I heard Goku say "That poor tree". Kicking our bags nonchalantly out of the way, I think back to how Goku was holding me, trying my best to avoid reliving the feeling but take down the information, which was, let me tell you, _extremely _difficult.

Okay, I got this. Right foot back, left foot front. Align my hands with my arms, and proceed to conceive a strong grip on the Nyoibō with the right hand higher then the left. Twist my body so I'm at and angle, and point my toes to where I want to hit. Make sure feet are planted on the ground firmly, and my grip is tight, and glare at the enemy.

Ready.

So, this is it! A true test of strength. I've been working pretty hard for a while now, almost 3 weeks…I can at least crack the surface of the tree. Am I gonna show Goku what I'm made of, or what? This is where I'll prove my capabilities…not only to Goku, but also to myself.

Let's do this.

Reeling the stick backwards powerfully, I let out a harsh battle cry, and quickly hurl the Nyoibō forward. Focus, Bulma. Focus! Suddenly, as the stick rushes closer and closer to the tree-trunk, I sense a rush of power course through my arms, like what happened with the 100-meter sprint around a week ago. The energy runs throughout my body, and makes it seem as if the Nyoibō is merely a feather. My vision turns blue abruptly as I smash the Nyoibō against the trunk of the tree forcefully, and in doing so, expelling the energy out in a blinding show of blue luminescent light. An audible crash resonates from the connection point of wood on wood, deafening me and causing me to yelp. A rush of wind cascades through around me, and blasts my hair back, as a show of dust and wood is sent to and fro around the area. I jump back a couple of feet to insure my safety, and peer at the tree carefully. When the dust clears out, I'm bewildered by what I see.

"W-Wha…H-how…?!"

Somehow…_somehow…_ I left a massive hole in the whole trunk of the tree, where the Nyoibō collided powerfully, easily 4 or 5 inches thick, leaving the massive structure leaning downwards, ready to snap and break. A plethora of cracks run up and down the sides of the trunk, and some branches crumble down, a massive collection of leaves fall to the floor, creating an emerald pile.

"Holy shit…"

My eyes widen in shock. I…I did this?!I subconsciously look down to my hand grasping the Nyoibō, then recoil and drop the weapon immediately like it was on fire. Instantaneously, I back upwards until lose my footing quite quickly, and collapse on my knees.

_I don't believe it…_

I bring my hands up and gape at them, breaths coming out at uneven intervals and tremble a bit, turning the limbs over and staring at each individual curve and crevice. I bite my lip and my eyes widen even more, after noticing the hole goes through more half the length of the trunk, which was _quite _thick.

What… just…_happened_…?

A hand rests itself on my shoulder, and squeezes it calmingly. "Amazing, don't you think?" A chuckle resonates from above me. "I knew you had it in you."

I whip my head upwards. "Goku! What the hell happened?!"

He grins, showing his teeth like a monkey and grabs my arms, lifting me up and grasping me into a hug. "Energy control! You're a natural!"

Dying because the sudden embrace, I simply gurgle in lack of understanding and revel in the warmth his body supplies. He pulls back, but still keeps our hands connected, a sweet gesture. "E-Energy c-control?" I spew out. "Like what happened with the 100 meters a few days back?"

"Yes! You did it again, Bulma!" I can see he's restraining himself from jumping with glee. "Screw the Nyoibō for now!"

"Say _what_?!"

"We're skipping that and working on your energy control! You're gonna get _really _good at it. It's almost unbelievable how amazing you are already!"

I blush immensely at the compliment, and avert my eyes from his bashfully. "But...but…"

He laughs once more, and then drags me over to sit under the now-almost-completely-decimated tree. Gingerly sitting down in the pile of leaves, an ever-evident reminder of my potential, Goku pulls me down, our hands still interlocked, and smiles once more as I take a seat right across from him. He drops my hands, and I immediately resent not holding on tighter.

"Now, I'm gonna need you to focus, okay Bulma? Harvesting energy is no easy job, and when you first start, it can take quite a toll on you. You need great mental strength, which you already have somewhat, in order to pull this off." I swallow my saliva. "So, first things first. I want you to close your eyes, and search for your energy, or your _ki, _and tell me where you feel the most concentration of it. Be aware this might hurt a bit."

"O-okay." I shut my eyes closed, and concentrate my mind to search for my ki. As soon as my eyelids snap shut, I'm surrounded by oblivion, which the longer I dwell in, the more my forehead aches. I pull at my subconscious more, searching more desperately for an energy source of some kind, but retrieving nothing. This goes on for a while, being surrounded by darkness and my intuition failing me. Jesus, this is hard!

Come on, Bulma. You can do this! You can _do this! _Not giving up, I strain my mind as hard as possible, cringing as I'm hit with wave after wave of agony. You can do it! _Come __**on! **_My intuition, still picking up on nothing, begins to fail, causing me to fill up with diffidence and depleting my confidence as every unsuccessful second of searching goes by. _You can do this! It's must be somewhere_! I let out a whimper, as my head throbs painfully, begging me to stop. This goes on for minutes after minutes, and deciding that enough was enough, I ready myself to open my eyes to save myself from this mental torture.

Until a glimmer of light stops me immediately in my tracks.

Unbelievably, I 'see' a bright sphere of bright blue light, a single concentrated ball of energy floating in the middle of the darkness. 'Looking' at the scintillating structure of power, I gasp and contemplate things. This massive collection of energy is…mine? I can feel the power radiating out of it, infecting me and giving me vitality from my place here. I scan it and try to detect where it's positioned. In doing so, I feel my head, legs, and arms vibrate suddenly, which breaks me immediately out of my state.

My eyes snap open and I recoil spontaneously, grasping both scalp and legs with my hands wildly. I whip my eyes to Goku, who's just sitting there, pleased. "You _are_ a natural. Most people take months to do this, and you simply smashed it in 4 minutes."

"My mind, arms, and legs? That's where my ki comes from? _Three _places?!"

"I knew it!" He laughs and oscillates his hands back and forth, fiddling with the grass. "Usually people receive their energy from their chest, but with you, I felt as if you were a bit different." He turns his head up to think. "You've always been a genius, so there was absolutely no doubt a good chunk of your ki resided there, in your mind." I stand up and walk back to my position in front of Goku, sitting down in curiosity of what he was saying. "Your legs are more capable then an average person's, because you walked and ran a lot when you were younger, per say on our Dragon Ball hunts. You also tinker with machinery a lot, which's caused you to gain muscle on your arms." He licks his lips, dry from talking so much. "As I'm sure you know, energy lies where the person is most formidable. And, also if you've noticed, you were able to tap into your vast sources of power during the hundred-meter sprint on a whim to get a better time, because the ki was already there in your legs. All you had to do was activate it." He clasps his hand behind his head. "And you did the same thing around 8 minutes ago." Goku mentions to behind him, where the soon to-be-corpse of a tree still stands. " The surplus of energy in your head also gives you a natural affinity for energy control, which explains why you've been getting it down abnormally fast. You've got the best set up of ki, Bulma! Better then most of ours!"

I gaze down at my hands and legs in astonishment. "Are you saying that I…could actually…?"

"You could become as powerful as all of us, yes, and in a _shorter amount of time. " _

"…Whoa…this is…amazing."

Goku smiles, his eyes lidded as he gazes at my reactions. "_You're _amazing, Bulma."

Eh…?

"U-um, no, not really. I-I've still a long way to g-go…" I laugh nervously.

"Maybe. But you've got it in you." He brings his head forward and softly bumps his forehead against mine. "I believe in you." My heart leaps in wake of his intensity, his smile, but mostly his eyes. He gently pulls away, and smoothens out some of my stray strands. My eyelids droop suddenly, as they become heavier, and my heart strains for the man in front of me. "You're my _friend_, after all!"

Friend.

Right.

As I clutch the place where Goku's head made contact with mine, the bruise starts to ache agonizingly once more.

"So, anyway, let's see if you can channel your energy properly. Hold your arm out like this…" He proceeds to whip the limb out to the right of the tattered tree, palm facing upwards. "And try to focus your energy like so…" Instantaneously, a small bright ball of ki forms, crackling with power. "Try it!"

I push my drowning heart aside, and follow his instructions like a monkey. Fighting gravity, I hold my right arm suspended in the air and hold it there. But now what? "So…I focus my energy _how…?"_

"Think back to our first energy control exercise."

My thoughts fill up to the brim with confusion. "Yeah, but I don't get how only locating the energy will help manipulate…! Wait…" My eyes widen immensely. "I get it!"

Goku simply smirks.

"So, to maintain proper energy control, I have to lock on to each part of my body in which the energy is located, which was, as I remember, ridiculously hard, but not only do I have to do that, I've got to manipulate the energy with my conscious to do my bidding _at the same time_?"

"Do I even need to _be _here, anymore?" Goku scoffs playfully. I giggle a bit, despite my anxiety of this next exercise. "Correct!"

"Well then. This could take forever."

"Better get started, eh?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it."

As my hand's already in proper positioning, I close my eyes and immediately move my concentration to my arms, mind, and legs. At first I see nothing, but with a little bit more of straining, I'm eventually able to detect three individual orbs of power, each for the individual segments where my ki is held the most. "Wow…" I breathe. Despite the fact it's deadly ass stuff, at the end of the day, it's the most alluring and divine thing I've ever seen.

…Besides Goku.

_Focus, Bulma, focus._

Alright, now I have to try and harness this energy, or alter its position, at least. While my concentration sharpens, I feel the overall state in which I'm within start to fade out, as headaches rack my body. _Damn! I didn't expect the pains to be arrive so early in the process! _I need to ask Goku why these pangs come up in the first place. A change in the over all position of the energy awakens me to the success of my tries. _Come on, energy! Come to my hand! _I push at my control even harder, as my feelings of satisfaction turn fugacious, fleeting, and diffidence overcomes my previous pride. Agony sweeps my body once more, and my muscles begin to contract due to the stress I'm putting on them unintentionally. _Damnit! I can't go on anything further!_

I break my eyes open with a sharp gasp, and sigh in relief as the pain in my head and body washes away almost immediately. I turn to my outstretched hand, fearing the worse, but not receiving it. Energy was gathered there, yes, but it was merely the size of a baseball. Even though this is, I feel a rapturous sensation explode within me, as jubilant giggles escape from my mouth. Holding the energy in the middle of my palm, I turn to Goku and smile brightly. "Look! I got some energy! I actually _gathered some ki willingly!" _I can't help but fall back into the pill of leaves with a laugh, and throw my hands above me as, unable to hold back my happiness. I roll around a bit and eventually end up with my back completely on the floor, my legs bend and feet firmly planted on the grass beneath, and my arms up, holding the sphere of ki gingerly, as if it might fall and disintegrate. Goku, who I secretly peer at through the hole in between my arms, gazes at me almost…_dreamily._ His leans on his hand, which is placed gingerly on the side of his face, eyes lidded and his smile closed but enchanting. He looks so ridiculously content, I almost fail to notice when he stands up and leaves his place spontaneously.

Thinking he went to get some water for me or some other minute task, I'm bewildered, to say in the least, when his head suddenly appears above mine, that _smile_ still etched on his face. "Told ya you were amazing!" My scream pierces the silence.

"Oh my _god, _Goku!" Despite the fact I pretty much saw this coming, no way in _hell _did I think he would reappear so…so _close! _I push him back with one outstretched hand, while the other covers the rosy tinge of my cheeks but Goku, however, pushes against the force of my hand, and brings his head back down to his original starting place. Then, he lays his forehead against mine, his lip touching the top of my head and his hands gingerly holding my wrist. The thumps of my heart becoming more audible and obstreperous the longer he resists, and my mind starts to obnubilate. I feel his smile on my forehead become bigger.

"You're really something else, Bulma. I can't imagine how good you're gonna be when we finally finish our training."

"Yeah, sure, I mean…um…I c...um…ugh, okay." Unable to speak properly, my mouth garbles out any kind of nonsensical words or phrases it can cling on to, while the heat from Goku's forehead seeps into mine. Knowing this is _clearly _wrong, since the action of touching foreheads was one known to be extremely intimate and promising myself to try and resist against this love for him, I push Goku's head back with all of my power, and slip out beneath him. Rolling around a bit in the leaves, I position myself on my knees to continue speaking to him. Before a single syllable comes out, I'm caught midway through my attempts after seeing the…pain? Hurt? The actual _dejection _in Goku's eyes breaks my heart, as he probably thought I didn't want to be close to him.

"D-Did I make you uncomfortable or something...?"

The obvious gloom in his voice kills me a thousand times over, showering me in a river of guilt. Little did he know, there was nothing farther then the truth. "No, no! It's just…um…isn't it getting a little late?"

He smiles while nodding, and tries to act off the distress, but it's obviously still there. Though, I wonder why he's reacting so heavily to my slight rejection. It's not like this is the first time I've pushed him away when he got too close. I mean, _hell, _ I used to do it all the time when we were kids. And he was fine with it then…

Hmph, whatever. I'll talk to him later if it actually becomes a problem, even though I'm pretty sure he'll forget about it once the word "food" comes up. Meanwhile, Goku pulls out the necklace I gave him, and tinkers a bit with the buttons, punching in the code for a clock. Sure enough, the time pops up on the petite monitor, and leaves Goku sighing. "Wow…it's already 4:30, huh? Time _flies _when I'm with you, eh? I guess I should call Kito'un and drop you off home, huh?"

"Yeah, and we could eat on the roof again!" A sudden throb of my head suddenly alerts me to one of the large problems I'm dealing with. I need a senzu bean…for this ridiculous bruise on my head. Right. Would Goku let me waste (Not really a waste, though, considering the situation) a significant attribute for our battles ahead of us for a 'mere' bruise? He's told me countless times we need to save up on them, so hopefully it won't be too big of a deal. Well, it's worth a shot. "Hey Goku, before we go, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Hmm? Okay, sure."

"Is it alright if I could have a senzu bean for the bruise on my head?" I try meekly, actually perturbed from asking such a simple question.

"If you want one, you have to get it from me!"

Otherwise known as _no. _

He rotates around and struts out from the shade of the tree, walking to our bags and gathering everything less then neatly inside the pockets. Any stray rocks, or left over ones are tossed near other stone structures, and he walks over to two adjacent trees, untying a hammock he set up before. Why'd he bring _that _along? And why only one…? Anyway, back to the problem of the _neon light _on my head in the form of an injury.

Wait_… "If you want one, you have to get it from me!" _Is that a provocation? Or is he trying to reject my proposal in a fancy way or somethin'? Well, whatever it is…

If it's a challenge he's looking for, then he sure as hell will receive one. Goku's back still turned to me, (And what a sexy back it is. Sorry, just had to.) I stealth prance up to around 50 meters away from him, and observe where the senzu beans are. Right side of his pants, hooked on by the very top of the bag. A knot holds the two together with a weak bond that I should be able to breakwithin seconds. He's unaware now, so if I act fast, I might be able to snatch the bag and a single senzu bean before he notices.

Let's go. I close my eyes shut and prod for my energy immediately in the designated places. As soon as I detect the orbs of power, I immediately command them through my willpower to travel to my legs and get ready for a release. As soon as I feel the familiar charge up of energy, though definitely not large by _any _means, I quickly snap open my eyes, and get ready to run.

I slam my foot on the grass, and explode off the ground powerfully, almost sending myself hurtling towards the sky as I didn't expect speed anywhere _near _this rapid. The wind hits my face at extreme speeds from my acceleration, and sprint as hard as I could towards my prize. My vision turns the familiar shade of blue as Goku's body nears closer by every passing second, and I wonder why he hasn't noticed that there's practically a freight train coming at him.

Unfortunately, as soon as the last thought came out of my mind, I hear a strangled "What the…?!" and Goku's form starts turn around briskly. Come on, Bulma! I lock on immediately to the bag of senzu beans, and quickly hold my hand out as I rush by it. Not able to stop to grasp it, I use my outstretched hand to clench it at my speed, and rip it off the hem pants forcefully. As I bolt past Goku, I quickly peer back to see him spin from the might of my seize-and-rip, and lose his balance to gravity.

In order to stop my dash, I jump from my place, and let my heels hit the floor, skidding across the ground and uprooting dirt as they dig through the soil. The mud flying in my face is merely a basic bother, as when I stop and peer at the bag in my hand, I grin with victory. I turn to Goku, who was still on the floor, or knees to be exact, and stares at me like I was ludicrous. "But…what the… the bag…B-Bulma, _what was that_…?!"

I can't help but smirk, as I gingerly open the bag and pop a senzu bean in my mouth. "Energy control."

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**GOKU'S POV**

I pop the fork into my mouth, and bite into the piece of the strawberry cheesecake jubilantly. Immediately as the cream starts to melt on my mouth, I try to hold back a moan. "Why is this so good…?!" Bulma merely giggles.

"Cause I made it, of course! How many times have I gotta tell you that?" She playfully pokes towards me. The bruise on her head gone, my pants ripped, the speed of her improvement in energy control, her show of momentum before…it's almost unreal seeing her normally eating cake on her rooftop. I mean, where the _hell _did that last thing come from? I knew she would get this down fast, but…I've _never _heard of someone who got down the basic energy control in _one day. _It probably has something to do with the energy in her mind being able to manipulate the rest of the body, since the brain _is _connected to every other nook or cranny in a living being, but I mean, come _on. _Granted, it only took me a day, much less 30 seconds to get down the basics, but that's me. A human girl, who's never fought a single battle in her _life?! _That's another story.

And the fact she was able to apply her learning so perfectly during the senzu situation means she operates well under stress. Once again, a key attribute in battle. Man…I knew she had it in her, but…

Bulma giggles as piece of cheesecake falls out of her mouth, and gently wipes her lips to clean herself off.

…Who would've though that the ability of a _killer _could've been hid in such a soft exterior?! It's like she's a dragon with a beautiful cave or a wolf eating lamb.

This girl…she's something else. She's definitely astonishing…maybe she actually _could _become as strong as us. Had I said this before, it was merely a way of reassuring myself, and possibly her, that we should continue. The first couple of weeks of training got me scared we weren't gonna get anywhere, but…

Now, I'm scared for my _life _should I ever piss Bulma off after a couple of months. It's already been almost one, and her growth has been exponential. Is it her change of attitude? Or merely since we're focusing on her forte? Whatever it is, I don't want to see her improvement slow down anytime soon.

"You there, big guy?" She mentions to me, and as soon as I turn to her, she blushes, but doesn't turn away. "You're thinking a lot, huh? Pretty unlike you."

I can't help but laugh. "I'm just thinking of how great your performance was today. Especially that last part." I can't help but a send a wink towards her, leaving her face beet red, and her biting her lip in a smile. She looks so adorably cute, I decide to latch on another compliment, just to make her smile longer. "I hope you enjoyed the senzu bean, cause _boy _did you deserve it!" As I expected, her smile grows into a fulgent grin, and she starts laughing brightly. The sun breaks down in a all too familiar show of red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple, leaving the girl in front of me gasping in awe.

"Is it me…" She breathes. "…or does the sunset look more enchanting today the usual?"

She gazes at the sky as it explodes in more vibrant colors, grasping her hands together at her chest, eyes large and wondering. Even though the mixture of pigments and spectrums galore float in the sky like someone poured paint on northern lights, I can only study Bulma's face. Usually, just observing her features would bring me happiness and comfort, but something else swims in my insides. Something _different._ Not a feeling I get by just seeing her mouth in a smile and her posture displaying happiness, but something more…I feel a…a _desire_ of some sorts pooling up in my stomach, a heat building up making me feel warm. And all I'm doing is looking at her. I develop the need, the more my eyes meet her face, her hair, her _everything, _to just _hold her. _Not as friends…not as a simple embrace we give others as a mere show of accepting one another. Something more…something more _intimate. _

I quietly stand up and strut behind her, trying not to break Bulma out of her abeyant amazement. Close enough to touch, I sit down behind her and open my legs so each one is on either side of her. I wrap my hands around her, leaving her squeaking in surprise, and pull her into my chest tighter then ever before, while I coil my legs around hers softly. Her heat travels into my body, my insides fill up with it, and my mind becomes ridiculously content. As she's usually flustered by these situations, I'm surprised when Bulma stays still a bit, but eventually melts into my embrace, leaning back into my chest, and sighs a bit. She nudges herself into my chest more, flipping around so the side of her head lays on my chest, as well as the rest of her body in a sleeping posture, which tickles, but eventually settles down to a stop and murmurs, pleased. Her heartbeat reverberates against my chest, her breaths caress my skin, her hear tickles my body, and her arms gently grasp on my chest. While that warm, fervent feeling doesn't leave my lower insides completely, I'm still more then enough content to just stay like this.

We assume this position for a while, around 30 minutes, just relaxing and reveling in each other's warmth, while peering at the sky shift into night, before Bulma nods off into slumber. As her first miniature, inaudible snores come out, I gaze at her face, calm, without any negative emotions, and just looking sincere, in satisfaction. Observing her mouth slightly open, inhaling and exhaling quietly, her eyes peacefully closed shut, and the moonlight reflecting off of her features, she looks breathtaking. The heat back inside of me, I can't resist against my temptations, and bend down to her face. I tenderly place my lips on her forehead, and hold them there for a couple of seconds, before I break away gently, brushing some hair out of her face.

"You really are amazing, Bulma. In everyway possible."

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**GOKU NO ESTA LOVE BULMA. Again, since he's a dumb butt (Nah, we all love him. XD), Goku thinks what he's doing, a kiss on the forehead, is a show of the highest friendship. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.**


	8. Arbitrary Dinners and Torturous Emotions

**Don't...don't kill me. **

**Hey there everyone. I'm sorry for the 3 month delay for the chapter. I promise you, if my internet was working, I would've gotten it out sooner. But, what can you do? So, how's everyone enjoying their summer break?**

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**Reply to Guest Reviewers:**

**To Guest (Could you add power levels to the story im curious on how strong bulma is): **I'll be adding power levels soon, so don't worry! Thank you for your review!

**To Kaioken59:** Uhm, I'm only 15 so I don't think I would be allowed to write such stuff. ^.^; Thanks for your review, however, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story~!

**To Tash:** Haha, already working on it~! :D

**To Guest (This is wonderful story!): **I'm glad you're enjoying it! Keeping the tempo steady is one of the hardest things _ever. _Haha, at least I'm doing a decent job then, eh? XD Thank you for your review~!

**To Guest (Oh my god.. where to start.):** You...you awesome, amazing, kind person, I love you, oh my god. Dude, like you have no idea how much I hate Chi-Chi with Goku. It _really _doesn't work. HAHAHA, imagine, realism in a Dragon Ball Z fic! I'm glad you like the word choice! Many people have said that my vocabulary is too high for a story involving Goku. Well, at least someone likes it! Humor is something I can't write, seriously, but I'm glad you're liking it up to now~! Overall, thank you so much for your support! You're awesome. :D

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**IMPORTANT:**

**Please be aware that there's strong language and very slight sexual themes in this chapter. If you're offended by such things, please don't proceed.**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I'm not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**

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Please read and review! If you liked the story, give me a favorite or a quick message! All reviews are replied to~!

_**Enjoy!**_

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**~CHAPTER EIGHT: ARBITRARY DINNERS & TORTUROUS EMOTIONS~**

**GOKU'S POV**

"You mean your relationship with her has not progressed in the _slightest?! _Have you listened to a single word I said before, or do they pass through one ear and out the other?! This is absolute _ludicrous! _You, of all people, should understand how vital this plan is, Son Goku! How can you contemplate such feeble minorities such as _feelings_ while clearly dealing with a problem that will affect the whole planet?! A problem _you _have to power to cease?! Would you _wake up _already and _think, _you _moron?! _Can you _try _and comprehend how goddamn _ignorant you are being _and _do something?!"_

I protect my eardrums using my hands to clutch my lobes hastily, defending my poor auditory nerves from the barrage of noise piercing the surroundings, which would surely deafen me for a couple of minutes should the fingers guarding my ears slip. The Namekian was _pissed, _to say in the least, at my lack of development regarding the conceiving of Trunks, and once this was brought to his attention, wasted no time in reprimanding me in a similar matter to the likes of Chi-Chi. It was all I could do to try to fit an occasional "Okay" or "I have a reason", as Piccolo's rant extended long past 15 minutes of complete and unreserved rage.

I lean back upon the pillow cushioning my head, and repeatedly bang my legs against the mattress covered by the sheets in a rather obsessive habit to always be moving. Piccolo, who preferred to reside on the tile floor, suddenly stomps on the ground and stands up, abruptly grips me by my collar, and wrenches me close into his face. Confusing swarms my insides, as the Namekian's features are full of desperation and exasperation, biting out every word as if it was agonizing to speak. "You have at least _contemplated _what you are going to do right? _Right?!_ Please, for the love of Kami-"

"But aren't you Kami, Piccolo?" I inquire, tilting my head to the side, content despite the fact that a killer was clutching me by the neck and said person's grip just got a whole lot fiercer.

"_That's not that damn point, you pathetically moronic monkey!" _He bellows. Even the house shook from the might of his roar, and causes a strangled cry from Chi-Chi below, threatening us to "Shut the fuck up" before she "throws us out the window". Alerting us to the actual volume of our conversation and the absolute necessity for the contents of it to be kept completely in the dark, Piccolo continues to hiss, but with weaker dynamics. "Goku, you have to understand how vital this is. This is a problem you _must _act on soon." He sighs in exasperation. "You said you had a reason as to why you do not want to have a child with Bulma?"

"Yeah, see…" I anxiously grip my t-shirt thinking of the girl, and how I long to see her. "…Our relationship isn't…what did you tell me that word was…? The one which describes the actions you undergo while you try to conceive a baby…"

"Sexual."

I unconsciously clench the necklace around my neck. "Yeah! See, that's what our relationship is not. There's a thin line of trust that Bulma has bestowed on me, and I'm not ready to break one of my most precious bonds for the sake of something that could be solved regardless if I don't do anything." I bite my lip as the Namekian's face contorts into vexation. "And obviously Bulma would never be okay with my actions, even if I merely contemplated with her what would happen should I…um…take her to bed."

"Well from what I see, _you_ fancy her quite a bit."

"_W-What?!"_ I yelp, and then quickly grasp my mouth with two hands to avoid incurring the wrath of Chi-Chi.

"Yes, Son Goku. I don't know if it is _love _you feel for the human, but it is overall obvious that you regard her as a sanctuary." He contemplates things. "You probably hold her closer to you then you would…say…Krillin. And he's been your friend for a while, hasn't he?" Piccolo clicks his tongue.

"I…I guess…But then, how would I even be able to get her to trust me enough to…well…you know…!"

"I understand, Son Goku. But unfortunately, that's something you have to figure out yourself. I do not have an answer for you because Bulma's someone I'm merely acquainted with, but it's obvious she likes you and regards you as a close friend…" For some reason, the word friend tugs at my insides. "…so you should just focus on getting closer to her."

_I don't think I need to strive for that, though…_My mind wanders back to the night on the roof top…The colors…the vividness of each and every individual shade of the spectrum lit across the sky…the strawberry cheesecake, only as tasty and amazing as ever…Bulma's amazing progress, and yet her upheld modesty…or that …that _embrace. _

Having Bulma in my arms once more, except with more passion behind it, lit a fire in my stomach. I can't stop thinking about her…I've been a hot mess, to be honest, and I don't know why. Everywhere I go. Bulma. Everything I do. Bulma. Everything I say. Bulma!

Only yesterday did I plant my lips on her forehead, and progress further into my adoration for her. I mean, I'm not sure what this whole "love in a romantic sense" is about, but _hoo. _Listening to Piccolo's rushed explanations or Chi-Chi shrieks, lecturing me about what love between a husband and a wife should be like, I'm able to deduce that the burning, intense pool of…what's the word…? Desured…diesed…ah, right, _desire,_ which suddenly sprung up on me while I was gazing at the gifted girl's face was the closest I've ever gotten to such a feeling. Romance…

What were the actual connotations of that word, anyway? I'm sure she's just a friend, and I'm positive she regards me as a primitive monkey, who she only got to like after a year or so of traveling with. So, what's the point? Besides, according to Chi-Chi, I've got her, and I don't need any other female attention.

The phone on the desk besides me rings audibly, scaring me to the point where Piccolo has to awkwardly catch me before I hit the ground roughly, and chucks me back onto the bed. "Pick up the phone, you fool."

I abide to his word immediately, grasping the phone head up to my ear gingerly. "Hello?"

A shrill, but welcoming voice sounds cheerfully from the other side of the connection. "Why, Goku _dahling. _Is that _you?!"_

"Well, as I live and breathe! How's it goin', Mrs. Briefs?" I can't help but let out a few childish giggles. While her company was more then a bit awkward, it was still a nice feeling at the end of the day to settle down and converse with her.

"Great, dahling! I was jus' wondering, would ya like to come over for some dinna'? It'll be a formal event so ya'll have to dress up an' all, but…" I hear her chuckle on the other side of the phone, while my mind fills up with two words that make me ecstatic. Food, and Bulma. "It'll be great ta have your company, eh?"

"I'd…I'd _love_ it! Should I bring the whole family and group of friends, or…?"

"Ya, sure dahlin'! Bring anyone ya want!" Another chuckle resonates from the lady.

"Great!" I cheer jubilantly. "I'll see you there!" Unable to hold my glee within me, I slam the phone down on the receiver and whip towards Piccolo. He gulps, waiting for his 'death rattle', whatever that was. "Piccolo, get dressed! We're goin' to Bulma's house!"

He groans.

* * *

**BULMA'S POV**

I shut off the showerhead, hang it up on the top of the tub, and gingerly sigh with relief of getting the pieces of dirt and wood out of my hair.

The water falls to the bottom of the bathtub, as I somewhat painfully squeeze all the excess liquid from my blue strands and step out of the bath. Turning my back to the shower, I walk up to the mirror and observe my features. I flex my arms to see if there were any major changes within its structure. Seeing, once more, a mere bump of muscle come out does brighten my spirits, but not as much as when I flex my legs and the muscles there contract powerfully and quite visibly. I'm getting stronger!

What a day of training this was! More energy control, obviously, but the end result was certainly not what I expected. Goku showed me how, just by placing his hand on it and expelling his energy, he could blow up a tree to a woody cadaver. And when I mean blow up, I mean a thousand pieces of wood flying to and fro at blazing speed, smoke rising up from the sight of the explosion, wind blasting at massive speeds, and traces of fire and ash adorning the surroundings blow up. Not a clay structure with air bubbles placed in the furnace blow up. Needless to say, I felt sorry for the tree.

Then again, I did almost the same thing, though by no means was it anywhere near as powerful as Goku's, but I succeeded in blasting a small hole through the trunk of one. Probably as big as a basketball, but nothing larger was the absence of wood. I hmph to myself. Although my progress was "amazing", as Goku had said multiple times before (Almost like a droned slur, by now, but nonetheless, it's still a nice gesture when he brings it up randomly after one of my rather futile tries to imitate his teachings), I'm just not used to having to develop skills, you know?

I mean, frankly what I mean is…I've always just…_had _my skills. My intelligence, my charm, my absolutely _perfect _body and face…I mean, it's not like I underwent challenges to get these things. As I said before, they've always been there.

Now though, this is a challenge. Getting stronger and surpassing the limits of a normal human is something I'd never had imagined I'd be doing, and now that it's becoming a reality…well, needless to say, it's taken quite the toll on my body. And maybe that's why I adore it so much. The energy coursing within my skin…the bittersweet rush of emotions after getting up after physical defeat…the sting of the alcohol and iodine cleansing my terrible wounds…the thrill of having the wind rush through my hair as I sprint across the wilderness...I just feel so wild…so _free. _

I give myself one more final glance, before I nod and turn away, yearning for a towel. Once I reach it on its position in the drawers above the mirror, I wrap it around my body and securely tie it so there's scarce possibility of it falling off. All right, that's done.

Reaching for the doorknob, I turn it so the door creaks and take a single step outside, almost immediately rushed by the chilled wind of the air-conditioning. Getting colder by the second, I make a small run for my room, cheating a bit as I focus a small amount of energy into my feet to go faster. "Not too much, or else Vegeta'll find out." I mutter to myself.

"Find out about _what?_" The raspy, harsh voice echoes out throughout the hallways, stopping me clean in my tracks and alerting me to the Saiyan's presence before having to even turn around.

Shit.

Vegeta, do you _always_ have to appear at the worst moments?

Only around 5 meters away from the door to my safety, without answering his question, I hastily break for my room, earning a strangled "The hell?!" from the man, slam my whole body against the wooden escape, swing the door open, flail inside, and smash it shut. Leaning against the back of the door, now in my sanctuary, I pant heavily and mentally objurgate myself. _Damnit, Bulma! Don't you understand that he __**lives **__with you?! From now on, no mentions of Goku or training in the house! _Leaning against my ear, placed on the door, I listen for any traces of Vegeta shortening his distance to my room. Hearing nothing, thank the _lord, _I sigh with relief and break away from the door. Removing my towel, I change into the clothes already set up on the bed hastily. Adorning a black shirt with a white blazer and some jeans, I peer at myself once more from the mirror in my room, and then take a seat in front of it to meddle with my cosmetics.

I lean forward and add the beauty supplies to my countenance for a couple of minutes, trifling only a small amount with them since it's not like we're going anywhere. Coughing a bit from a mild blush accident, I stand up and stretch my arms gingerly behind my head, yawning a bit. Receiving a slight sting from my upper arm, I'm alerted to the mild injury gained this day in training. Right, right. A small piece of wood lodged itself into my arm, and we had to pull it out using some rather…crude methods. Now, I'm sure the thing's gonna be infected, so it'll probably be a good idea to go downstairs and disinfect that sucker.

With a small yawn, I strut up to the door once more, and turn the knob gingerly, peering carefully out of the door for a certain Saiyan before heading out with caution. Each step is meticulously planned, trying to obviate from the chance of a heavy foot in the middle of a squeaky tile of wood, until the lining of marble comes in. Taking a solid step on it, I walk the rest of the way nonchalantly until the stairs, sure in my belief that Vegeta's nowhere to be seen, or to find out about anything potentially dangerous to my social situation. I reach the stairs and prance down them gracefully, delightfully skipping the last three steps simply out of arbitrary cause. I land powerfully on the floor, and continue my way on to the kitchen, hopefully to sneak a mildly hunger-fulfilling treat. And that's when I heard it.

"Ya, sure dahlin'! Bring anyone ya want! Buh-bye!"

I apprehensively bring my foot into the kitchen, my body following it, a rather curious expression expressed on my face. "Who're you talking to, mom?" I murmur, grasping over her delicate form, who's put down the phone and started simmering some ingredients in a pan over the oven, and grab a water bottle for my thirst. I flip open the cap, and take a large sip, reveling in the liquid sliding down my throat and soothing the hoarseness which's implanted itself in my esophagus. The throb in my arm seems to be swelling painfully.

"Oh, I was jus' speakin' to that dahlin' Goku. Always so sweet and carin'… what an amazin' guy, I say." I let some more water enter my mouth and nod in agreement. "Ya kno', I always wonder why ya didn't _marry _him. Should consider it, honey."

I ungracefully spit the water out of my mouth like a machine gun.

"W-What?! Mother, he's already married!" I exclaim.

"What? Oh, yea' that's right! Ta' who again, Bulma sweetest?"

"To Chi-Chi, remember?!"

"Oh, th' _bitch_, eh? He could do _so _much betta'."

"_Mother!"_

"What, dahlin', I'm merely telling th' truth. That Chi-Chi gal…? Not an ideal lady by _all means."_

"Mother, that's mean!"

"Mean, yea', but true nonetheless, hun."

"But you can't just go around and spit insults at my _best friend's wife!"_

"Ya'll consider that high-strung spiteful littl' bitch a wife ta' him?"

"Well, they're _married, _aren't they?!"

"But are they really happy togetha'?"

"If they weren't, how would they still be in matrimony, mother?"

"Hell, I've known _countless _boys an' girls who don't leave for money, housing, protection, false love or _sex_…" I choke. "…and from what I'm able to perceive, that Chi-Chi's one of 'em. And Goku knows that." She sighs a bit, stops her cooking, and turns around to look at me briefly. "Now I've know that child almost as long as ya have, dahlin', and I know he ain't stupid. Actually much smarta' then alotta people. An' I trust his betta' judgment more then what he acts like, not what he says, 'cause he knows words can cause a riot. And it's obvious he's not happy with th' girl, 'cause she don't treat him right. Not sayin' she don't _love _th' guy, merely stating that he's not gonna be happy with her and he deep down knows it." She turns around again, and once more, starts to cook gingerly.

I stay silent for a while, contemplating over my mother's words and gazing toward the floor. My hands grasp each other tightly, leaving the sides of my knuckles red and hurting. Man, she may _look _like a bimbo, but by no _means _should you ever underestimate my mother. "But if they were unhappy, why haven't they brought it up or _done _something about it, mother?"

"I dunno, honey, I really don't. I'm merely saying that you're a betta choice for Goku, and not just because you're my daughter. Because you and him really work togetha, I think." Despite myself, my heart beats a bit faster at the connotations of her words. But it's obviously not going to work out…why get my hopes up?

"Okay, okay, mom, I understand what you're trying to say, but it's not up to me who he marries, okay?" I shoot down my mother almost guiltily. The wound in my arm begins to burn, taking away the comfort that it would merely be a consistent throb. "He had a choice, and he chose her. That's all there is to it." I turn away from her and walk gloomily to the medicine cabinet, pulling out a spray can of iodine and a helping of gauze. Sitting down on the chair, I notice my mom looks over her shoulder at me, saddened.

"Ya sure, dahlin'?"

I spray the iodine onto my wound carefully, and wrap a good amount of gauze around it, tying it into a knot at the end, tightly pulling it firmly around my arm, and biting off the excess amount of the covering material when finished. I peer at my work, approving of the skillful craftsman ship of my own body, skills I've gained after weeks and weeks of injuring myself. "Yes mother. It's fine. Don't worry about it, okay?" My heart sinks a bit. Where the hell did this come from? "It's not like I can change it, anyway."

My mom cracks her eyes open a little bit, peering at me with intense, and surprisingly _very _blue orbs. Her constant, bright smile warps into a sinful but wise pout. "Whatevah' ya say, dahlin'."

I sigh a bit, and bite my lip in apprehension. Did we _have _to bring this up? My mood was rather pleasant before, and I wanted to keep it that way. Alright Bulma, just change the topic to something more mild and gentle on your heart.

"So, what'd you say to Goku?"

…Damnit Bulma.

"Oh, I was jus' askin' him over for dinna', and told him to invite the whole family. They'll be over soon, eh?"

"_What?!" _I bellow and immediately jump up from my chair. "Why? For what reason? But he and Gohan and…" I shudder a bit. "…._Chi-Chi_'ll be over, and I…I just can't do that!_"_

"Huh? Why's that, hun?"

I turn away from my mother and throw my hands up to my head. Seriously?! Is this happening? The _one _thing I had to avoid has come to kick me in the ass again. With these developing feelings I hold for the guy, how the hell am I supposed to face his damn _family?! _A product of _sex _between my love and a victorious bitch nonetheless! "Is it too late to cancel?!" I quickly shoot over to my mother and my hands latch around my arms.

"Well, I'm afraid not, honey. They said they'd be right ovah."

I sigh exasperatedly and fling my hands up once more to my head, rubbing my temples in sheer agony. Am I really going to have to do this? Quell my feelings for another when he's just so _close? _I mean, granted, I'm not making much of a deal of this whole _love or like _aspect of my relationship with Goku whilst training, but we were _alone. _Sure, I let some feelings slip, (Some…Hah!) but for the most part, there was no risk or repercussions for a mishap…or a willing show of affection, and therefore it's not like there was stress placed upon me to act as natural as I can. But now…with everyone around me…with a cunning mind like Vegeta's, a terrifying presence like Chi-Chi's, an innocent but ridiculously observant boy like Gohan…Well, let's just say a single mistake could lead to my ass being found out. And I do _not _plan on letting that happen.

…Or at least I could obviate from such a situation as best as I can. Meh, you get the point.

"So, the family, huh? Anyone outside that circle of people?" I meekly inquire.

"Yeah dahlin', he said he'd be bringin' ovah his buncha friends an' all."

…

Well, that's enough life for me today.

* * *

**GOKU'S POV**

"You guys keeping up?" I bellow behind me.

"Aye, you just keep going on!" Yamcha screams back.

"Yeah, we're right behind you!" Krillin agrees mirthfully.

"Alright! Go Kito'un, faster!"

I throw my head back and grin at all of my friends behind me. Gohan's riding Kito'un with me, and Chi-Chi's in the aircraft. Piccolo, Krillin, Tienshinan, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and the rest are flying right behind us, including Master Roshi, who's being carried by Krillin, and Pu'ar and Oolong, the latter being carried by the former. I can't wait! A dinner with all of us together, it's like old times again! And, I guess, a few more added guests will be joining us in our tradition. I look down to Gohan's ebullient smile, even though the bedizened clothing he was forced to wear by Chi-Chi surely caused him some discomfort. I too, was shoved unwillingly into a rather constricting tux, though eventually I was able to loosen the tie, unbutton my coat, and unbutton up the buttons on the shirt. I've gotta say, though, the way these clothes snuggly squeeze in every crevasse I have is something else. I mean, my stomach is almost completely display, each line of the muscle, and well as my arms, showing through the shirt. Granted, I have a black coat over those, but how will Bulma react? She complains when my shirt's a v cut, and now, you can practically see _everything _through this one.

Meh, I'll deal with it when the time comes.

Heh…but I hope she'll like my surprise for her. I slightly tap a box to the side of me, the contents inside a special something for a special someone. Especially since it's an item in which she can relate too. She's already done plenty for me with cakes and the necklaces, not to mention my rather…spontaneous decision of us two being the only ones with them, to which she abided, so it's about time I pay her back. I grin at the imagination of how she'll react.

I loop my arms around Gohan and rub his head gingerly. Chi-Chi, from the aircraft, shoots me a dirty look, as if screaming "If you let Gohan drop _one _foot from that stupid cloud, I'll castrate you!" I don't get it though. Gohan can fly, can't he? And, _hoo, _on the topic of Chi-Chi, what a _challenge _it had been to finally grant us the permission to go. I remember the whole situation from the back of my head like a needle, as of which thinking of the word makes me shudder, stuck into my brain and left there to rust. Man, was she _harsh!_

But, nonetheless, we were still here, flying towards Bulma's house, every single one of us, and I couldn't be happier!

"Oi, Son Goku! Is that not the top of the house breaking through the horizon?" Piccolo calls, expectant in an affirmative answer, as from the tone of his voice I deduced he wasn't asking a question, even though he so obviously meant it that way.

I peer over Gohan's head, who had recently thrown himself on me in a futile attempt to wrestle, and examine the Capsule Corp logo shining through brightly over the oblivion. "Yeah, that's it! Head down guys!" I tap Kito'un with my foot to get him to speed up, and fly in closer to the familiar building. Low enough to safely jump, I leap off of Kito'un, with the box in my hand and Gohan tucked under my arm, much to the outrage of Chi-Chi and the delight of the boy. Landing soundly on the front garden, the massive onslaught of lights makes the path to the front door quite visible, so I follow them, dropping Gohan on the floor so he can walk himself. "Hey guys, hurry up!" I yell towards them in good humor. "Even a Saibaman could beat you here!" I shoot towards a specific person. Yamcha growls and speeds up tremendously, landing audibly with a large thump on the ground besides me.

"Shut it." He growls. I raise my hands in a "back-off position", and smirk. Krillin soon arrives besides me, followed by Piccolo, Tienshinan, Master Roshi, Oolong, Pu'ar and Chiaotzu. Chi-Chi lands the aircraft abruptly, causing all of our clothes whip around and inciting some yelps from the others, and even through the glass panes, I could see her enraged expression.

The door of the craft opens, and I prepare myself for a hurricane.

"Go-_**ku**__! _What the _hell _do you think you're doing, huh?!" She stomps up to me and punches me roughly in the stomach.

"Ow!" I grasp my abdominals in mock pain, and drop to one knee in pretend agony. "I…I'm hurt! You've damaged my organs, Chi-Chi!" My friends around me howl with laughter. Standing up, I face my wife with hope of a smile on her face, but sadly figure out she's _not _amused. Quickly, I straighten up, the others following suit. "Well then…what do you mean, Chi-Chi? I didn't do anything wrong." I whisper a hushed '_yet' _at then end of my sentence. I mean, you never know…

"Oh, yes you did!" She bellows. "What do you think you're doing, jumping off of your cloud at a height like that…" Oh? Maybe she's concerned with my wellbeing! "…with your tux on?!"

Oh.

"That…that's what you were worried about? My tux getting dirty?" I say in slight disbelief.

"Of course! And also, you could've hurt Gohan!" She grabs me by my collar and shakes me back and forth violently. You know, for someone who made such a stink about the condition of the tux, you'd thing she'd handle it more carefully.

"Chi-Chi, Gohan can fly, remember?" I shoot a quick look of desperation to the guys, signaling to them to go and ring the doorbell. Krillin immediately follows suit, much to Chi-Chi's ignorance. "And so can I. I wasn't putting the boy in any harm, I know better then that."

"Oh, _really_?! Then please explain how you felt it was safe to drag him into the battle against _that thing," _She points to Piccolo "…and the Saiyan living in the house we're going to right now!"

"Chi-Chi, Gohan wasn't even born when I fought against Piccolo." I resist the urge to facepalm.

Chi-Chi stays silent for a bit, glaring at me intensely with ever growing rage to me having corrected her, and opens her mouth to scream. Thankfully, the door opens at that moment, and Bulma's mom stands in the open way. "Oh, why _hello _dahlings! Com'on in, eh?"

My head shifts nervously between Bulma's mom and Chi-Chi, and as a last ditch effort, I shoot out, "Oh look, there she is! Come on everyone, a feast awaits!"

Like a retard, I must say, I scramble quite hastily and sloppily towards Bulma's house, breathing a sigh of relief when I see the ever-familiar entrance to my safety and the overdue amount of air conditioning hits my face. Man, that girl…I wonder if it's normal to be in a hurry to get away from the one you _married. _It's strange behavior, I think. I'm not so sure if this is common protocol between a man and his wife. But then again, according to Chi-Chi, I believe, I'm never right in these problems, so I think it's best to drop it.

…But you know…

I think, I'm not so sure, I believe…

Always an approximate, always somewhat there in my beliefs, but I'm never ready to declare it to myself with full confidence. Never, if it's a problem concerning Chi-Chi, have I said '_I know' _to myself. And certainly, while that seems like a small blemish to most people, am I…

Am I actually _scared_ of laying out my actual feelings strongly before people when Chi-Chi's concerned? Before _myself?_

I reel my free hand up to my head and tap it gently, for a Saiyan, at least. Calm down Goku. This is supposed to be a joyful event. Now's not the time to contemplate things. And regardless, what would the guys outside think when they just see me standing there, a hand pressed firmly to my temples?

Gathering up my thoughts and dispelling them with a curt sigh, I enter in deeper and prance around my surroundings, looking for anyone, and receiving no one. I open doors, wander hallways, peer into bathrooms, but alas, there isn't a single person to be found. Maybe everyone is upstairs getting-

"Damnit, you moronic piece of crap! How dare you defy me?! I am the Prince of all Saiyans, you puny little _shit_! You _will _obey me!"

…What the…?

Following the constant screaming and roaring, I almost hesitantly make my way to the kitchen, crossing the stairs to the second floor and a small part of the indoor garden and peer in through the open door…

Where I find Vegeta shrieking at a blender in a frilly pink apron.

…

…

…!

My pent up chortle suddenly bursts out of my mouth with no prior involvement while I immediately drop to the floor, box placed on the countertop before, in a long fit of uncontrollable laughter. Vegeta, who must have been too distracted beating up on that poor, defenseless blender to notice me right away, is abruptly alerted to my presence.

"_Kakarot?!" _He screeches with all his might. On the floor, still laughing, I slowly peer up to Vegeta, shaking heavily from the onslaught of giggles, and observe him ripping off his apron with disbelief and discarding it to the farthest side of the kitchen. "What the _fuck _are you _doing here?!" _His desperate countenance, combined with the hints of exasperation in each of his words, is enough to send me over the edge once more.

"Are you actually…haha…_cooking…" _I make out. "…wearing a…a _freaking pink apron?!" _The thought of that imagery once more makes me flip over to my back in laughter, grasping my stomach in actual pain from the amount of giggling I'm doing.

"Those women _made me, _Kakarot! So don't get any _ideas!"_

Too late.

"Oh man, are the guys gonna _die _when they hear about _this!"_

I'm able to grasp a bit of Vegeta's face from cracking open my eyes a bit, and find him beet red, hands clenched to his side and eyes slit dangerously. It's as if he's about to murder someone, which I think was a plausible way, for him at least, to make sure this secret doesn't come out of my mouth. "I swear to _god, _Kakarot, _if this leaks from your mouth in the slightest, I'll murder you in cold blood!" _He bellows.

My laughter settling down for the most part, I flip back up and sit cross-legged on the floor, actually pouting a bit, though some occasional giggles do break through. "But why? This'll be a nice story to bring up during dinner time!"

Suddenly, the other Saiyan's face is up in mine, his hands grasping my shirt roughly and throwing me back and forth. "This will not be brought up, _ever! _Do you _understand_ me, Kakarot?!"

"Aw…Okay, I guess." The gears in my head start to turn, formulating a plan quite suddenly. Vegeta…He could be useful in training Bulma. "…But you owe me."

"_W-What?!" _Vegeta screams furiously, almost deafening me.

"You heard me. You _owe _me!" I shoot back gingerly. "If I abstain from telling the group about your…" I think of an infuriating way to put Vegeta's situation, only 'cause it's pure hysteria when he gets mad. "…say…_loss against kitchen appliance…" _To this, Vegeta roughly slams his fist into my shoulder, or at least attempts to. I move my hand up and stop it in place, causing a miniature shock wave to erupt in our vicinity once our limbs collide. "…_you_ have to do something for me when I require your _services_."

Vegeta's voice booms out instantaneously, louder then I had ever heard him before. "I'm not your goddamn _servant, _Kakarot! You do your fucking deeds _by yourself!"_

I smirk, something even I agree was completely out of context for me. "Oh, then I'm _sure _everyone will _love _to hear about your valiant battle against the blender with your…colorful battle attire, eh?" I drawl. If this is what it takes to help Bulma become stronger, then so be it.

Vegeta, who stomps up, glares at me intensely from above. He lingers there for a few seconds, letting his anger get the better of him, before he bites his tongue and mutters. "You goddamn motherfucking…tsk, fine."

To that, I let out a jubilant laugh and stand up, my back facing Vegeta and start walking to the exit, the other Saiyan following. "I never thought you were the blackmailing type, Kakarot." Vegeta growls.

I turn around and smile largely. "If it's to reach a certain goal, I'll do anything."

Vegeta ceases walking then, and I can feel it, glares at me from behind. "And what could that possibly be, Kakarot? Something you aren't telling me?" His voice is full of malice, but also has a curious edge to it. I continue on making my way to the exit of the kitchen, picking up my box on the way.

"It's nothing you must concern yourself with. I'll tell you, in due time."

This apparently pleases him, or at least quells his initial disturbances, because a few seconds later I hear Vegeta's footsteps sound behind me once more.

We make our way out of the kitchen to look for the rest of the inhabitants in the house, though Vegeta's participation was more on the forced side. We split up, neither of us knowing where our target, the dining room, is, nor on cold pursuit to find it. After all, us Saiyans can't resist against the temptation for food. Even Vegeta, who doesn't put much effort in anything besides making sure I'm a dry, shriveled _husk _at the end of our training battles, was putting more haste then usual into the finding of the dining room. Jeez, to think Bulma had a large enough house to get us lost, Vegeta especially. And on the topic, where _is _Bulma?

Passing through a hardly conceivable amount of hallways and passages, I come across the stairs to the second floor and treat it as a landmark. Haven't I already passed here?

…

…Maybe the floor isn't that big. Maybe I'm just an idiot.

I sigh. I can even _smell _the food from here, but the odor of the animals prancing around this area completely mess up my senses. I lean my arm over the railing of the stairs and ruffle a bit at my hair with the other hand, pulling at my collar. And then it suddenly hit me.

An overwhelming aroma envelops me, a heavenly mixture of strawberries and roses followed by the soft tapping of high heels, making their way ever closer to me. _Her _soft, gentle voice rings out in small breaths and a miniature sigh, the _tips _and _taps _getting louder, but not _loud. _Her form starts to break out from the corner of the stairs, and I find myself gulping in anticipation to the sight I'm about to witness. And yet, _nothing _could prepare me to the image I was to behold.

"_Whoa…"_

With half of her hair in a bun held together with an ornate and beautiful flower pin, the other half coming down to frame the sides of her face in light waves, an elaborate black v-collared dress with complex and intricate white lacing coming up to around her mid thigh, her face done up with the smallest amount of makeup, but still manages to make her features pop out, all tied together with black high heels and some excess accessories, Bulma looked _breathtaking. _And that itself was a grotesque understatement.

Just looking at the way the dress fit around her in the best places, highlighting what I always thought to be a lumpy, useless chest and her rather intoxicating curves, things which I'm suddenly and rather abruptly picking up on now, silences me as she makes her way down the stairs. She, too, notices me, all dressed up nonetheless, and that stops her from continuing on. Not like it was much of a problem to me, as I could gaze at her longer. It's scary, to say in the least. I've always seen Chi-Chi come down the stairs in dresses, even with better smelling perfume or more expensive makeup on, and yet I've _never _felt like this before. I've never had someone's beauty _silence _me. I've never regarded the female body as something that could be admired, something which I wanted to see…until now. And yet these thoughts are _welcomed _in my mind…

She gazes over my body, my tux loose and collar open, then skims her eyes down to my pants and eventually lower to my shoes. But then, she shoots her vision back up to my exposed chest and nape eyeing it with an increasingly brighter blush spreading across her countenance. And I'm just here, enchanted by the pure, innocent _beauty _her face holds.

And yet, her voice breaks me out of my trance. "Goku…you look…you look…" She fans her face a bit, and I can see red creeping up her cheeks, which she constantly tries to hide. "…_amazing_…"

"You…you're stunningas well_, _Bulma…" I make out, breaking out of my state of abeyance.

She blushes tremendously, covers her face with her hand and smiles meekly. "It's not like you'd know what's considered beautiful, you oblivious oaf. But…thank you." She whispers the last part sheepishly.

I stay still and observe Bulma as she makes her way down the stairs gracefully. She reaches her hand out, once she's conquered the steps, and places her hand softly on my shoulder. Oddly, the contact sends what seems to be like electricity through my skin, as if fireworks were set off in my muscles. While it doesn't shock me to the point of moving, it's certainly irks my interest. Why am I reacting this way with Bulma?

"Should we head off to the dining room?" My head perks up at her question, almost immediately knocking myself out of my enchanted state. On Bulma's face resides an exultant, but contained smile, while it mentions to the direction where the dining room surely resides, of which almost shoves me back into my admiration of her beauty again. I don't get it though. Seriously, where the _hell _did this come from?

She saunters past me while gently grabbing my hand, and drags me over in the direction she's walking in. After I get the gist of it, Bulma drops my fingers, leaving me resisting against the urge to grab her delicate limb again. The clatter of plates being moved, the overwhelming aroma of amazingly cooked food, and the pleasant sound of laughter and talking all make its way into my senses like an overwhelming wave of nothing but enjoyment. I stop myself from rushing into the dining room, but add haste to my pace, passing by Bulma and extracting a gentle giggle from her. When I break my way into the room, the sight is _amazing._

The food looks scrumptious, something that belonged in one of those cooking magazines Chi-Chi always reads, a collection of grilled goodness, fried fantasy, and sautéed simmering sanctuaries. The set up and design was much more elaborate and ornate then usual, and it was quite obvious that a lot of effort was put into the planning of this. But the thing that drew me in more then all of that was simply the smiles on everyone's faces. Not a single person was frowning or blanking out, and even Piccolo and Vegeta, no matter how utterly out of character this is for them, had small grins pasted on their usually stoic faces. The combined contentment of all my friends and family was overwhelming, and their smiles and laughs only grew larger as I made my presence noticeable to them. I pull out a seat, place my box on the floor in front of me, and gingerly sat down.

* * *

**BULMA'S POV**

I cleared my throat as it came time to quickly mutter our grace with haste, each passing second agony to our eager mouths and awaiting taste buds. Even I felt the oncoming vigor in the battle to come, as everyone finished their rushed prayers and grabbed their forks and knifes, well aware of what they were getting themselves into once _Goku _sat on the table. You want food? Well, you better fight for it. Such ideology was fine with me.

After all, I love a good challenge.

But whoa, could I say that Goku looks _so hot _today? I mean, I know by all means that he was _stunned_ by my beauty (Sarcasm here, if it's not notable. I mean seriously, Goku and beauty are two words that shouldn't _ever_ go together in a sentence, unless if "is oblivious to" comes between them.), but I mean, _hell! _With his shirt exposing some of his collarbones and chiseled chest, his legs fitting perfectly in those black dress pants, a tie, which who _knows _wherehe got from, strung loosely around his neck, and not to mention my dog-tag necklaces which put together his badass look with more badassery (Pro language use here.) , I was knocked away by how much he could transform with a simple outfit change. Seriously, he was rocking this attire like no other. Now, though, I feel happy I'd taken the liberty of tying myself together as quickly as I could. Though certainly, I didn't expect such a reaction from Goku as he saw me going down the stairs. I mean, as I stated before, Goku is and probably always will be oblivious to beauty, so I'm sure his slight pause and gawking at my attire was because he's seen me in nothing but torn, dirty sweats and stained tang-tops, my hair thrown in a loose, grime covered ponytail, and my whole body bedabbled in blood and dirt for around a month and a half.

Charming, I know.

Back to the meal, Gohan, our sole survivor in the race to finish prayers, finally wrapped up his mental "thank-yous", and signaled to his father he was done. Goku looked over to Vegeta, who masked his face with a smug smirk and nodded. He then proceeded to stand up, right besides me, and cough a bit to clear his throat.

"Well then…I thank all of you for coming over to Bulma's at such short notice." Goku's voice carries quite far, and even though I was right next to him, I could feel the reverberations that his vocals reached from the other side of the excessively large room. "I've gotta say, I'm surprised you all showed up. Well…'scept Launch, but…who _knows _where she's at." He causes a few giggles to resonate from Tienshinan and Chiaotzu, giving me a faint suspicion that they knew where the girl was. Nonetheless, it's not as if it matters. "You've all no idea how happy it makes me that we're able to dine together again, and…even though I know we should be training for the upcoming attack from the androids…" This signals the start of nervous whispering from some of the gang. Goku, though, oblivious to this, looks down, straight at me, and smiles gingerly. "…I know we'll be fine." He moves his line of sight back up, and glances over at everyone in slow progression of a clockwise turn. I clench my hand over my necklace instinctively. "So tonight, we dine! Now, surely you've all witnessed my…say…_eating habits, _I'm sure?" Like a plague, our laughs break out without warning, infecting others and causing them to giggle. Even Piccolo smiles and gives a curt nod to Goku. Our spontaneous speaker waits for us to calm down before he continues. "So, you should know, the battle for food when _Saiyans_ are around is unlike anything you've ever seen, right?" To this, we all nod and chant 'aye'. "Now then, I warn you all, when food's on the table, Vegeta, nor I, nor Gohan will hold back! Prepare yourselves!" I can't help but laugh, along with Krillin who mutters "god help us humans," and Roshi, who seemed too preoccupied looking at my cleavage to actually be listening.

"And with that, dig in!"

Immediately as Goku finished his sentence, everyone morphed into blurs like a hurricane of bodies, and attacked the food set out for them on the table instantaneously. The racket was deafening, filled with laughs and screams, but the most audible were swear words thrown across from one person to another as bowls and plated of food traveled across the table at the speed of Krillin fleeing from a battle. I'm nudged harshly to the side by Goku's dropping form, who rapidly sat down in his chair and started to fight, whacking me in the face in the process with an outstretched hand. I cup my throbbing cheek, smiling meekly as everyone fought for the delicacies on the table, and realized soon after, if I didn't start now, then I'd starve today. Hell no. I need my energy for the days to come and the training to finish, thank you very much.

I grab my fork and my knife, and immediately dive into the fray.

Alright then, let's see what can I grab…ah! A large platter of lamb-chops is clear in view, no one hovering over it and nothing blocking my way from grasping it. Good! I lunge forward to reach for the platter, but as if someone saw me reaching for it and wanted me to starve, it's snatched away by hands, whom of which I'm not able to tell the owner of, due to the massive battle going on in front of me. Damnit! A few seconds later, the platter returns with an angry clang, completely empty spare from some few bones. Great. I can eat that.

I sigh. "Fine then." Next?

Giving up on the chops, I set my sights on a full bowl of succulent caeser salad and grin. Mm, my favorite! Alright then, here we go! Once more, I yearn forward and place my hands on the perimeter of the bowl before anyone else got their mitts on it. Once my grip is tightly situated around the savior to my hunger, I yank my arms backward, but unfortunately find it unmovable. I try again with a little more force, and then find myself get pulled forward. Which means one thing. Someone else was grabbing it, and whoever it was clearly outmatched me in power and hunger. Hell no though, I'm not giving up. I give a stronger haul then before, letting out a little grunt, but the person on the other side of the salad bowl wasn't giving up either. He/she tugs intensely, and almost rips the bowl from my hands.

I resist the urge to stab my fork in this guy's arm.

Well, all right then, time for alternate methods. I gather up some of my ki and apply it to my arms and hands, giving myself an extra boost of strength, surely enough to get the salad after a couple of tries. Using this added force, I powerfully jerk the bowl away from the other guy's fingers, so that I'm the only one who's wrapped around it. Not expecting the extra distance the bowl would travel backwards after my opponent lost the battle, however, I'm unable to keep a steady grip on the salad, and unfortunately let it fly out of my hands and on to the floor behind me.

Oops.

The clatter of the tableware hitting the floor alerted no one to the fact I just wasted a good portion of food except my stomach, which grumbled angrily at me. I sigh even harder. Just look for _something, _Bulma. Just get _anything._

I decide to fight on for the never-ending battle of food retrieval, and once more delve into the tangle of bodies in hope, most probably futile, however, that I wouldn't starve. Alright, let's see.

It takes me a while of searching and cramming to finally find something _not _being attacked. Without even checking what's in the bowl I'm eyeing, I lunge forward, kicking Goku in the process, who lets out a muffled yelp and grasp the bowl. So no one gets any ideas, I charge my arms with ki right off the bat and ardently jerk the bowl towards me instantaneously. Feeling no resistance, I drag the bowl back to my plate in enthusiasm to the food I'd finally be able to get. Placing the bowl in front of me, I peer inside to see the treasures I've hoarded.

…Only to find out the bowl was empty.

* * *

"Ugh…" I mutter. "My stomach…" While everyone was leaning back into their chairs after a successfully filling meal, I'm up and moving, searching and prodding all the bowls and platters for the tiniest bit of food. Everything in every platter was completely obliterated. I mean, even the _bones _had been gnawed at, some parts missing from the common structure of marrow and cartilage.

Yamcha, across from me, laughs when he sees me sit down, defeated. "You didn't get anything, huh Bulma? Well, that's how it goes when your best friends are Saiyans."

I stick my tongue out at him and slump in my chair due to the fact he was right. I struggled for 30 minutes trying to get food, and when I finally got my hands onto a bowl, it was either unreservedly grotesque, with different food mixed in it, or absolutely empty. Needless to say, it left me in a sour mood, and while everyone else was talking, I was merely listening to the grumbling of my poor stomach and the lively bantering everyone was undergoing.

Observing the conversations between my friends is quite…amusing. Certainly so as the conversation switches between training, then food, then home life, then food, then the upcoming battle, and then food. It seems as if there's a pattern. Serious stuff, then food. And of course, there's always the more…say _perverse _topic suggestion from one of our more crude guests. All jokes aside, all this talk about meals is seriously adding fuel to the fire of my hunger, especially when my mother gets up and starts cleaning the table from the bowls and platters. I slump down onto the tablecloth, placing between my arms, disappointed at the missed opportunity to eat some of my and my mom's amazing cooking products, and grumble a bit.

"Hey…" A small tap resides on my shoulder, and I peer through my arms to see what's up. Goku leans down to me and tries to get my attention. "Bulma, come with me."

I look at him in curiosity and stay in my chair, even as he gets up and declares, "Excuse us for a bit." Goku bends down and picks up what seems to be a box of some sorts from under the table, and upon seeing that I haven't moved, grabs my wrist gently and pulls me up.

"We won't be gone long!" I try to squeeze in as Goku drags me out of the dining room pretty rapidly. I hear an awkward silence in the room, before Oolong mentions something about telling a story where I had to wash Goku when he was a child, inciting many-a-laughs from everyone else and sigh. Well, seems as if they're taking this lightly.

Focusing on what's happening now, I quietly follow along as Goku directs me to the staircase to the second floor, taking it, and asks for the directions to the next flight. "On the right, down that hallway." I declare almost happily to be of some service to Goku.

We conquer the stairs once more, and Goku then walks over to my room, (You can tell it's mine because it's littered with sequences and letters spelling my name and crap that my mom put on when I was a child.), opening the door and pulling me in, shutting it when I'm entirely through. He lets go of my wrist then, so I saunter over to my bed and sit down expectantly. "What's up?" I inquire.

Goku's smile breaks out like a child, bright and innocent, and pulls out the box from behind his back. "I have a present for you!"

I tilt my head to the side as Goku comes closer, sitting down on the bed beside me and places the box on my lap. "Why…you didn't have to do that, Goku!" I turn to him and smile, honored.

He bounces on the bed, something odd to see a guy doing with a build like his, obviously eager for me to open the box of mystery. "Open it!" He prods jubilantly.

I laugh at his enthusiasm and plant my hands on either side of the box. Bringing the lid up, I'm surprised to say in the least, to see a small strawberry cheesecake, of which is almost completely unidentifiable, residing in the middle of it.

The cake was…something. For certain, it obviously wasn't bought from a store, nor did a skilled housewife make it. While it retained it's heavenly smell, the visuals were less then appealing, to say in the slightest. The cake was slanted, the icing all over the place and strawberries placed in random areas which added to the disheveled feel. I look up to Goku, whose smile is so goddamn wide, it causes mine to break out like a fever.

"I made it!" He declares with zeal. My eyes widen in incredulity and humor and I give out a hardy laugh. "It took over 5 tries to get it right, but I followed the directions on the box and tried my hardest, and well…ta-da!" Goku fishes inside the box and pulls out two plates and forks, as well as a knife. I quickly take that from him before he can cut himself. "Heh, I was planning to give it to you tomorrow after out training, but I got the news we were coming over, not to mention the fact you ate almost _nothing _during dinner…"

"Haha! You caught that, huh?" It's true, though.

"Well, it's hard not to when you got kicked 3 times, slapped two, and shoved 7 in a girl's pursuit of food, and then later listened to her grumble about her stomach and how she wants to eat something."

I blush out of embarrassment, biting my lip. "Sorry, sorry…"

He laughs. "It's no problem! By the way, turn the cake around." I comply, and find that on the other side of the cake, a small message is written there. The handwriting's almost illegible due to the medium that was used, strawberry coating, by the way but I'm able to get the gist of it.

"Thanks for everything you've done, Bulma! Now here's me trying to return the favor! Love, Goku." I read out loud. My emotions getting the better of me, I place the cake and the knife to the side of the bed and pounce on Goku, much to his surprise, him letting out a strangled "Wah!", me hugging him tightly. "You doofus!" Still clinging on to him, he wraps his arms around me laughing along. "Do you understand how grateful I am to you? Without you, I would've _never _found out my true potential, not to mention your help through some emotionally tough times." I nuzzle my head into his chest, causing him to squirm a bit, before he relaxed almost immediately after. "Thank _you, _for everything _you've _done." Pulling back, I unhook my hands from Goku's and back away, yearning for the cake but he reaches out and grabs my wrists once more. Tugging me towards him, he pulls me between his legs, my back hitting his chest, and loops his lower limbs around me, his arms resting to the side of me. Pretty much used to this situation due to me having to do this every time we go training, I giggle a bit and lean over to grab the cake, two plates, a knife and forks. Giving one plate to Goku from behind me, I take the knife and cut two good heavy portions from out of it, placing one slice on my plate, Goku taking his.

As we eat in silence, (The cake's actually pretty good!) I can't help but lean back into Goku's chest, reveling in his heart beat thumping against my back, proof that he's alive and this is actually happening. I sigh in contentment and wonder if Goku's done with his cake already. Finishing up the last of my slices, I place the plate on the far side of the bed, the fork with it. "I'm done." I murmur, and Goku just nods. I hear the clank of a fork hitting a plate, and suddenly a small slice of cake is brought in front of me.

Is Goku…_sharing __**food **__with me?!_

I don't believe this.

I tilt my head to the side, mentioning for Goku to finish his own slice, but he only persists harder. "I've eaten my share. You have to eat more for training or else you're gonna have a bad time tomorrow."

…Hmm…touché.

I open my mouth, much to Goku's ebullient surprise, and he puts the cake gently in my mouth. I bite down and he slides the fork out, leaving the cake in and removing the silverware. Finished up with that slice, down comes another, which I gingerly accept.

Soon, after we share Goku's slice to it's fullest and it disappears in our stomachs, Goku places the plate down where mine is and sighs. He waits there for a moment, not doing anything and not moving, before he suddenly brings his head down above my shoulder and next to my neck. I stiffen up a bit, a blush lightly coating my cheeks, probably to the oblivion of Goku, and murmur. "Goku…?"

He doesn't say anything for a while, just breathing over my shoulder and on my neck. After a while, he murmurs. "You know you're the closest person to me, right Bulma?"

I tilt my head and giggle. "Really? I had no idea!"

He chuckles along with me, the breath he's breathing on my neck making my face hotter, though closeness is something I'm accustomed to (Not really) with Goku. "Haha, I though it was obvious. I mean, I spend the most time with you, have the most memories with you. If I could request something from you, just…" He stops talking for a second. "Just don't leave me, okay?"

My eyes widen a little bit. "Why would I ever leave you, Goku? You're my…you're my _everything,_ really, the person I look forward to seeing everyday."

It's his turn to inquire. "R-Really?"

I giggle again. "Of course! You're such an amazing guy, so nice and kind to everyone, so _powerful _and _formidable, _but you never lose your modesty. Not mention you're quite the cutie!" I reach my hand up lightly nudge him on his cheek. He leans into my touch. "Seriously though, I mean, how many times have you saved me? How many times have you fought for me? How many times have you gone along with my selfish requests and random favors? You're the only one outside of family who's actually given a damn about me, you know? Not to mention, I've known you for a long time, the longest out of all of_ them_, and understand what a kind, innocent, pure hearted man you are to the fullest." I lean back more into him, him complying graciously, and decide to say something I would've never said to him if this weren't some debut of 'Bulma and Goku's Emotional Sharing Time'. "Though our relationship…isn't where I'd like it to be, I still value it and you tremendously."

He cocks his head to the side. "What do you mean, Bulma?"

"Well…" I can't tell him the full extent of my problems. I don't want to burden him with my feelings. "Let's just say I was given the opportunity to be _much _closer to you, and stupidly, I didn't take it."

Suddenly his hands grasp my shoulders an ardently flips me around so I'm facing him. He grasps my shoulders once more shaking me slightly, and gazes into my eyes fervently "But…But we can change that! There are no restrictions, you know! You can be as close to me as you like!"

I smile sadly and obviate from his eyes, tilting my head away from him. "Except I can't, Goku. You…" I sigh sorrowfully, thinking over the fact he has Chi-Chi, a son, a steady life, and that I just _had _to fall in love with a married man. "You won't understand."

He places a hand under my chin and lifts my head up so my eyes meet his intense ones. I try to look away, but his impassioned gaze holds my eyes in place "Except I will, Bulma. I'm your _best friend_, remember?" And that merely further proves my point.

Can I really tell him this? Can I really confer to him my feelings?

Yeah, _hell no._

I'm not troubling him anymore then I already have. "Look, it's nothing Goku. It's fine, I'm happy the way things are now. I do wish I was closer to you, but I know it won't happen ever, so it's no use dwelling on it, okay?"

Goku peers at me, looks me up and down slowly and settles on my eyes again with his burning gaze. "…Then I'll make it happen."

I slit my eyes in confusion and utter a slight "What?"

"I'll make _sure _you get closer to me whether you like it or not, got it?" His sudden claim and authority in this situation take me aback, exhaling a little bit as his words process into my mind. I laugh cynically in my head, understanding that what he's saying has no possibility to borne fruit, but a small part of me believes that it'll happen, that this could happen if Goku says it will. That my love for him can actually get _us_ somewhere. Heh…what a mess I've made of myself.

"I'll be waiting, then."

It's like a slap in the face what this man does to me, under what conditions that I must fall in love with him and in what time should my feelings erupt be the most unfortunate, and while a thousand vocalizations echo in my head, _"This is not right!"_ a voice in my heart utters, _"Do not run from this."_

* * *

**Development! Yeah, Bulma was able to explain a little bit of what she's going through, but knowing Goku, he's completely oblivious to what she actually means. Annoying, ain't it?**_  
_

**You can see how Bulma's having an inner conflict here. Her mind's telling her stop, but her heart's pushing her forward. How hard must that be? Alright, more action next chapter, hopefully you could've dealt with the lack of combat for a little bit. ;)**

**See ya 'till next chapter~!**


	9. Resistance and Persistence

Yay, I'm back, and within a reasonable time period! Woo!

...yeahiknowit'sstillabitofastretchbutheyatlestyou didn'thavetowaitmonthsbeforeigotthisout.

Okay, anyway, I know I promised some action in this chapter, but seriously, there were some key points I _had _to build on whether I like it or not. If you're gonna blame anyone, blame my faulty timeline.

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**Replies to Guest Reviewers:**

**Narmeen**: Bro, do I even have to say anything to you? You're awesome, eh? Yes, yes, I'm aware that cuntflab isn't a word, and I'll try to work on the length of each chapter. Sorry, you gotta endure another long chapter, eh?

**Jonathan**: Gracias por tu comentario. Voy a tratar de mantener mi fecha de liberación periódica a partir de ahora. Solía buena traducir, por cierto.

**Guest**: Thank you~! I'll try to keep up the high caliber in the following chapters~! :)

**Cutiepie**: Haha, I understand what you mean. I wish their paring was canon,eh? My imagination's getting there. I'm starting to actually delve into the plot more, so ideas are coming from everyday interactions. Hahahaha, maybe I should! I'm sure being an author would be an amazing occupation! Thank you for your continued support!

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**IMPORTANT:**

**There's like a swear word or two in this chapter, and themes and ideas revolved around sex. Don't read if that could offend you.**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I'm not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**

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Please read and review! If you like the story, don't be afraid to favorite it, yeah? Every interaction with you guys seriously makes me happy! I reply to every review~! :D

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**~CHAPTER 9: RESISTANCE AND PERSISTENCE~**

**BULMA'S POV**

I charge up my ki from my leaps and bounds of inner power, and send it to my legs so that the energy courses through it like waves. As my vision turns a beautiful, but familiar, shade of blue, I lean down and get ready to sprint, giggling a bit in anticipation to the adrenaline rush I'm sure to experience. The Saiyan across from me grinds his foot into the soil and grass in suspended action, but soon realizes I'm in position. He raises his hand in the air and opens his mouth to produce understandable sound, but I'm too far away to hear it, therefore I disregard his words and eye the important stuff. Bracing my body, I study and speculate the man's hand with great focus, and as soon as the limb comes sailing down, I push off the ground with a powerful leap and begin.

Immediately, the speed is blinding. There's no acceleration, no build up to the momentum that my body undertakes, it's just _there._ The wind crashes through my body as another leg quickly and meticulously follows up each step I take with no spent time. Every time my foot collides with the ground, a miniature explosion (Or what seems like it) is left in the wake of my shoe, showing how forcefully I was pressing against the ground to get to my much familiar goal. My fatigue, however silently creeps up on me, so I peer forward to see where I reside in the familiar path of trees.

One second, the finish line is 100 meters away. Another second, it's right under my foot. I smirk, waiting for the ever-familiar voice to ring out.

"5.71 seconds! Well done, Bulma!"

Stopping the flow of ki in my legs, I slam my heels against the floor to obviate myself from sprinting any further, but unfortunately end up skidding a couple of feet extra, much to the dismay of my sneakers. (Who've experienced quite a bit of trauma once we started training.) "You're getting real good at this!" Goku's cheery voice resonates through the area. I wait a second before nodding, gathering my breath. Although I'm certainly not as tired as when I first started, sprinting 100 meters really does take out the air in me, especially when I do the enhanced sprint. I grab my water bottle from off the ground, walk a little bit down the ridiculously familiar path of trees, sloppily leaning on one of the trunks and pouring some of the soothing liquid down my mouth almost avidly.

It's been 9 days since the dinner party and the whole "relationship" incident. Ever since then, Goku's been constantly checking up on me, whether it is by phone calls or voice messages sent via our necklaces. I could never seem to go a day without contact with him. Even if training were called off for whatever reason, he would be meticulous about sending a "Hey there, Bulma! Just calling in to say hi!" etc. in compensation. While the gesture is something most women would be jubilant about, it's _unfortunately_ making my love for the married man grow and sprout.

Which, considering my situation, is in no _means_ a _good_ thing.

But it's not like I could stop it, after all. When he said he would further our relationship to the highest point possible, he wasn't joking. Even now, he's simply gazing at me while I lean against the trees, obviously checking if I was all right and observing everything I do. I mean, something isn't right with Goku, but I'm not sure if it's negative or positive. I mean, for example, usually I'm the one who catches myself sneaking a quick peek at Goku's perfectly sculptured face or body, but now his eyes seem to be on me twenty four seven, the thought of which causes my heart to beat faster and my cheeks to burn brighter.

Obviating from bursting out in a fit of spontaneous giggles, I quell my consistent thoughts, since dwelling on the matter won't change a thing and cover up my bottle. I saunter back to Goku, whose face lights up minutely as he sees me making my way over. For some reason, he looks at me a bit longer then usual before speaking. "Good job! You did excellently today."

I tilt my head. "Did?" Wondering what time it is, I break out my necklace and peer at the time. "What? It's already 5:32?!" …Well, it's kinda understandable since we spent at least 3 hours honing ki (In which I'm now able to blow up a rock by simply placing my hand on it), around an hour working on offense and how to attack (In which I now know the basic attacks, such as how to punch and how to kick, as well as some more challenging moves which only my flexibility could allow. I can also punch through 11 boards of wood.), and another hour working on basic speed and endurance (Without the ki enhancement, I run the 100 meters in around 13.49 seconds. With it, my time whittles down all the way to 5.71). Regardless of my progress, I've only one dominant thing on my mind. "We need to go home soon to watch the sunset!" I frantically run up to our bags and pick them up, hurling Goku his and grasping onto the strap of mine tightly. I click my tongue in exasperation and I'm about to tell Goku to call over Kito'un, but suddenly a thought crosses my mind. "Goku…" I start with a rising pitch. "When will you teach me how to fly?"

He peers at me, a small pout of confusion on his lips, and then his face contorts to that of someone saying 'Ah ha!' "I forgot about that, didn't I?" His voice quickly turns mordant. "Well, certainly you don't think I could teach you right at this moment so you could fly back now, eh?" He plays. My face reddens out of embarrassment to Goku hitting the hammer right on the head of the nail. "I'll teach you when you get better control over your energy, okay?"

I pout my lips and look down to the floor sighing, purposefully acting dejected. "Aww…really? I was looking forward to seeing how it felt to soar through the air with the wind cruising through your hair and gently caressing your cheeks, letting the journey to whatever destination you had to be at a joyful one." I drawl, trying to convince Goku to teach me despite the obvious reasoning behind his answer and the arbitrary cause behind mine. Seeing as Goku won't budge, I peer down at the ground and kick a rock across the earth. "Tsk…alright, fine. I guess it's better then nothing." I gloomily mutter.

When I bring my head back up, I'm surprised to see Goku staring at me intently, of which almost makes me recoil. Waiting there for a couple of seconds, Goku's eyes get increasingly more intense the longer they're peering at me and almost _forces _me to speak up. "Y-Yes?" I murmur, when I see his gaze refuse to detach. Goku doesn't answer me in the slightest, even after I wait, so eventually I just turn around to avoid his eyes. "Alright then, don't answer."

Suddenly, I scream as strong arms wrap around my waist and lift me, snuggling me up to a warm, broad chest almost possessively and straddling my legs around a torso, soon positioning a hand under my bottom to keep me in place while the other remains firmly around my waist.

…Are you serious?

While closeness isn't something I'm _that _badly accustomed to when it comes to Goku, _this_, however, me _straddling _him, sends all the blood to my cheeks and sends my heart into the exact opposite of cardiac arrest. My reaction could possibly be because I haven't had this experience in a while, or maybe just simply because he holds onto me tighter then usual and purposely grinds my body into his, pulling my face mere inches away from the other. Either or, it causes fireworks to go off in my head and heart. "Goku, wh-" I try.

He interrupts me before I can say anything more. "You said you wanted to feel how it's like to soar through the air, right?" He levitates himself slowly, as if letting me get used to the change of height and making me understand there's nowhere to go unless if I'm in his arms. In fear of falling to a painful death, I instinctively coil my hands tightly around Goku's torso and grip his shirt desperately. Goku, noticing my panicking, looks straight at me and smiles so warmly, his face so close to mine that my blush, which I've been managing so well over the months, intensifies.

Ugh, what this man does to me could be recorded under the dictionary for the definition of uncontrollable!

I can't help but meagerly smile and nod my head at his words. He continues. "Then here's your chance." He brings his head down and gently knocks it with mine. I'm warmed by the sweet gesture.

"Thank you." I sincerely utter, of which Goku merely laughs and turns his head away to look in front. He takes off, and almost immediately I'm hit with a heavenly breeze. My hair's tossing to and fro around my frame, the wind sailing through it effortlessly, and my clothes blow back strongly against my curvy form. The wind feels amazing blowing against my body, and I can tell that Goku's going slower then usual just so I can enjoy the feeling more.

There's just something about this situation that makes me want to let go of everything as just _relax. _Something deep within me reacts with this, being curled up into my (One sided) love's arms, having the breeze caress me, looking down at the memorizing landscape from a view only a bird would be lucky enough to bestow, all of this just makes me forget all of my problems and just _enjoy _life. It's quite a sensation, and one I wouldn't change regardless of the treasurable riches I could gain in return.

_Like requited love, for example._

…Shut up.

Just when I was ready to go limp and lull myself into a sleep from the heavenly ambience, I see the lighting of the city break its way out from the forest and sigh, disappointed. I glance over to the direction where the sun should be, and find up not a moment too late. "Thank god…" I murmur.

Goku, who was accustomed to my silence, tilts his head down in slight surprise to my sudden outburst. "Is something wrong, Bulma?"

I shake my head and give out a smile. "No." I point to the descending sun. "We made it just in time."

His smile breaks out. "Whoa, thank _god _indeed! I was afraid we were gonna miss it or somethin' cause I was going too slow and all." I revel in the short amount of time I have left of our flight, letting my body soak in as much wind and fresh air as it can get before we pass through the "pollution barrier" that haunts the city like a cloud of death. Once breaking the barrier, Goku floats in close to the Capsule Corp. and hovers right above the roof, a good 20 or 30 meters above it. He nears the top of the highest point of the building, our daily eating place, and gently drops my legs on there, positioning both his arms around my waist to catch me should I trip or fall. Understanding that I have steady balance, he removes his hands and takes a seat next to me, eyeing my bag in avidity, a large, goofy grin on his face.

I giggle mirthfully at his countenance. "I've got it." Plopping down next to Goku, I zip open my bag with suppressed enthusiasm and pull out the box holding the cheesecake ebulliently. I take off the plastic cover and bring out a serving knife, picking up one of the slices and put it on a plate, handing it to Goku, whom accepts it with no hesitation. Immediately, he digs in my bag and pulls out a fork without my consent, pointing it at the cake. He attacks it ardently.

While Goku's slice is mercilessly devoured, I merely serve myself mine, take out the other fork, and start to chow down with attention to my manners, decorum which Goku, who's now licking the plate to get the rest of the icing off, seems to lack unreservedly. But that's why we love him.

That's why _I_ love him.

Done with my slice, I place it on the floor besides me, then look at Goku's face. Reaching over to his face, I wipe a little bit of icing from his cheek and place it in my mouth with a small giggle. He watches my hand intently, and upon me putting the icing in my mouth, laughs a bit and leans back. "So, I can't even _clean _myself without you. Haha, thanks Bulma."

I take Goku's empty plate from his hands and put it on top of mine. "No problem. And Goku, you couldn't do a _lot _of things without me." I poke at him high-spiritedly.

Goku shrugs, a small smirk (Yes, _smirk.)_ on his mouth and turns away. "True, yes, but you wouldn't even be _alive _to help me should I've not been there for _you_."

I pout, knowing I'm caught with no way out of this verbal defeat. "…Touché." I mutter. Goku laughs, understanding that I've given up. He clenches the necklace on his neck gently and peers at it for half a minute, a habit I've realized he's been accustomed to performing.

"So…" I analyze. "You're quite fond of that necklace, huh?"

He pivots to me with suppressed surprise. "Of course! It's real amazing, Bulma, and it's so useful when I want to get in quick contact with you." I nod my head, pleased that my creation is being enjoyed. "Not to mention, it also comes with many other features, like the camera for instance. I've been taking…say, snapshots for my own collection of you during training."

I feel the temperature rise in my head, my checks painted with a small tinge of pink. However, it's hard to let an opportunity slip by like this without playing a bit. I smirk "Is that because I'm so _beautiful_ that you absolutely _need _recollection?" I elbow him slightly in his side.

"Maybe." He pokes me back. I swat his hand away with a giggle, oblivious to the setting sun, which Goku has to point out to me. "Look."

"Ah! I almost missed it." I say, laconic due to the wanting in my body to watch the sun set in silence.

You know, it's a common sight, one I've seen for the past, say 2 months without break to my daily routine, yet the beauty of such a sight is never hindered. The explosion of colors, the scintillating sun being dulled but not shut out completely, the memorizing transition from day to twilight, then twilight to night…there's just something about it that can never be replaced, something which makes me eager to just sit there and stare for as long as I'm able to get a fleeting, fugacious glance, memorized. However, the sun quickly descends.

Disappointment swarms my insides when the large star makes its way down, breaking the horizon and leaving the sky a dark azure. I turn away from the sky and sigh, then adjust my view to Goku. Much to my surprise, however, he's already staring at me, palm up and head in it, idolatry in his eyes. "You're real attracted to the sun set, eh?" I giggle.

"I can't help it. It's just so beautiful!" I reply jubilantly. Goku turns away and mutters something under his breath. I'm not able to pick up on the exact statement so I drop it. We stay in silence one more, just merely listening to each other's heart beat (Well, _I _am. You don't expect me to know what's going on inside a head like _Goku's, _now do you?) before he raises his voice again.

"You're getting really good, aren't you?"

"Um…excuse me?"

"I mean, training wise." He quickly adds before I can make any assumptions. I nod my head, shrugging my shoulders.

"I guess. I really couldn't have done much without you."

He turns to me and grabs my hand, flipping it over so the palm's hid from view and stroking the skin with his other hand. I can only gape at the affectionate gesture. "Nah, I think it has more to do with your hidden talent then anything else." He rotates his head in an upward tilt, pondering things. Without looking me in the eye, he rambles on. "I mean, you've gotten down the controls of your energy faster then any_thing _I've seen before. Even _Gohan, _for christ's sake, wasn't able to practically _master _his control of energy in a mere day. Think about it for a bit. " He continues. "Plus, you use your energy in ways I've never seen before, applying it to different body parts separately to strengthen certain parts of your body at given times…it's brilliant, really." The stroking of my hand becomes rhythmic. "Not to mention the physical aspects of you, huh? That sprinting speed's getting real impressive, and while we haven't focused much on it, those punches and kicks you threw during basic recollection really packed a punch." To this, I recoil back slightly, confused as to why he's bringing this up randomly. "I've said this before and I'm gonna say it again, but you're amazing Bulma. Practically good at everything."

Well, now he's just being a stick up, that cunning little monkey.

Nonetheless, it's impossible to stop the grin from creeping up on me. "Oh, why thank you!" Hah, time to play a bit! "We'll see if my _skills _come into play with some…" I think of a way that we, as in Goku and I, would _never_ be together, and think simply, _sexual!_ "…other forms of _training_, shall we say~?" I playfully tilt my head and give a sultry wink, making out a sly chuckle to toy with him but make it obvious at the same time that I was joking. Much to my surprise, however, instead of replying with a simple "Okay" or a smile, Goku looks down and, I'm being serious here, _blushes._

_**Blushes.**_

Okay, so maybe the colored area's like the size of a peanut and the saturation of a rotting apple or something, but I mean…Goku? _Blushing? _The ridiculously naïve Saiyan warrior who's never stepped outside of the innocence of a 5 year old is seriously reacting in less then innocent ways to something I said or did?!

Man, do the wonders never cease with this guy? I could practically start a goddamn series just documenting how Goku's interactions with me have changed over the past two months.

"I…uh…I guess. Just…heh…merely stating the truth." He meagerly replies. I can't believe my eyes _or _ears. What's the man's problem, for heavens sake?

Well then, remind me _never _to make sexual jokes around Goku again.

"Uh…are you okay?" I lean my head over to his, checking what's wrong, worriedly.

He nods, _almost_ breaking out of his odd act, and ruffles his black hair a bit. "Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine." His blush deepens the tiniest bit, causing me to widen my eyes. "I was just thinking…you know… back to the dinner party and how beautiful you looked then _and _how breathtaking you arenow."

…

…Holy dragon balls.

Did I just hear that right?

Did I _see _that correctly?!

Did Goku just say I look…_beautiful _and_ breathtaking _while his _blush intensified?! __**Goku?!**_

Am I delirious? I must be delirious.

I mean, the dinner party was one thing. He could've just been overwhelmed by the food or something, I don't know. But again he compliments me?

Regardless if my mind went over what just happened, I find my body stuck in powerful abeyance, not able to move or to say a word. A blush suddenly explodes on my cheek from the outrageous compliment. (I mean, if _any _compliment about looks comes from Goku, then _hell yeah _it's gonna be outrageous.)

I look down avoiding Goku's eyes, biting my lip to prevent a smile from breaking out. "That was unexpected coming from you…" I meagerly whisper, not able to produce anything else.

We sit there, avoiding each other's eyes before Goku suddenly stands up, pivots on his feet and sighs. "Sorry about that. It just kinda…came to my mind and I…"

My eyes widen a bit and I shake my head. I bring my feet up and stand upright as well. Taking some steps ahead, I place my hand on Goku's shoulders and turn him around with surprisingly no effort. "It's alright!" I smile warmly, showing him he didn't do anything. "You just made me too happy, and bewildered, might I add, to respond."

Goku's smile comes back like a plague. "Really?" I nod exultantly. "Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid I insulted you or something."

"Pfft! For calling me beautiful? Hell no, Goku." I ponder things for a bit, and disconnect my eyes and arms from his body. "Well, I might as well return the favor…" He tilts his head to the side awaiting my words anxiously. "…You look…and you've always looked, really handsome…" I murmur quietly.

…Wait, what?

Did I just…I just said that, didn't I? I can't believe I just _said_ that! My control over my emotions is slipping further and further the longer the days go by! I bring my eyes hesitantly up to Goku's face to observe how he's fairing.

The blush is back and stronger then ever.

…Somebody…somebody help this guy. _I'm_ used to this shit. He, on the other hand, is probably going through more inner turmoil then me at this moment.

"R-Really…?" he murmurs bashfully. "I…I didn't know…" This guy is so innocent, it's unbearable! Don't tell me he was completely oblivious to his amazing physical appearance, the reason why whenever he strips himself of his shirt, my legs go weak and my mind obnubilates, up until this point! I grab his hand gently and drag him back to our eating-place, plopping down and tugging his form to the ground with me. He complies.

"Of…of course, Goku! I've told you once-a-many times, eh? You're generally one of the best looking guys I've ever seen." Actually, _the_ best, but he doesn't need to add that to his bank of knowledge, now does he? "Why do you think girls are all over you when we go out?" I sigh. Maybe he'd understand what I'm saying if I give some outer opinions besides my own.

"I don't care about other girls. I only care about you."

Uh…what?

Well…that was unexpected. Not to mention he got over his coy state within seconds.

"I…I wasn't implying that you did, I was merely saying that I've gotten more then enough comments from females that you look like some kinda god-"

His voice drops low, and a rather…say, _un-Goku-like _edge, almost to the point of husky,replaces his usual cheery and jubilant tone. "So what? Do you think that matters to me?"

"Uhm, no, but it's important that you-"

"Look Bulma, I don't give a damn about what any other girls think if you have an opinion about me as well." His voice comes out rather…harsh, an angry tinge to the end of it.

…Er…Would now be an appropriate time to faint? Because now's looking like a really appropriate time to faint.

Why…why is he using such language? I mean, 'damn' isn't a profanity necessarily, but it's certainly not something I would expect to slip out from Goku's lips, of all people. I guess I just keep forgetting he's a male in his twenties, huh? Not to mention what he's saying, after all, is so ridiculously possessive in a way, it merely brings the fact back to mind. I mean, goddamn, I knew we were close, but to completely disregard what all the other girls are saying because I too have an opinion about him…? Sheesh! I mean, what about Chi-Chi, his own flippin' _wife?_

…Not like it's a bad thing. Hell no, I wouldn't change my position with him for anything in the world. Except, of course, if I would actually be allowed to be in a relationship with the one _I love._

…Anyway, time to reply, flummoxed or not.

"Uh…I guess, but I you know that I'm not the only one who's got an opinion-" I don't get far.

"Bulma, do you think I'm good looking?" He inquires, a less then innocent twinge to his tone. I'm taken aback by how different he's acting.

"Of…of course I do-"

"Then that's all that matters to me." He then proceeds to lift my hand from the ground, turn it over so the palm's touching his hand and the back's showing, and, much to my shock and bewilderment, _plants his_ _lips on the exterior of my skin. _

…

Okay, hold the _goddamn phone_! Who the _hell _is this man in front of me, and what the _fuck _has he done to Goku?!

Is he… is _Goku seriously kissing my hand at this present moment in time_?! Is this happening, or have I finally crossed over the fine line to the point of insanity and hallucinations?! Cause if that's the case, I'll just go and jump off my roof right now!

Honestly, completely truthfully, what the _hell_ happened on that night of the dinner that suddenly boosted our relationship up to the point of _kissing each other's body parts_?! Is there something I'm missing here, did something happen on that night or the nine days following that I've overlooked?! Some kinda pact that we made that allows a _married man _to kiss his _best friend's hand?!_

It's been quite the conflict raging inside of me for the past few months. The battle of the heart and the mind carried on as Goku did each and everything that he did, staying strong, both sides pushing equally as fierce to assume control over my better judgment. Now, however, it's my ardent heart leading over my brilliant mind. I can't stop him from doing this, even if it's the most logical thing to do. Right now I'm trying to resist as much as I can, but the second consciousness inside of me prevents that with all her might. I know this isn't right. For god's sake, I know everything we're doing isn't right! So why am I unable to push him away when I'm fully aware of that?

His lips disconnect after an extended period of time, before he looks up to peer at my face. His countenance takes away the breath from me; it's just so… so _different._ His eyes are lidded and heavy, a glimmer in them I've _never _seen before, something more strained and intense then what I'm used to Goku displaying, his lips parted slightly, breathing in deep, heavy gatherings of air. I'm locked into place, unable to pull my hand outside of his, his eyes gluing my body to the floor.

Suddenly, however, Goku's snapped out of his odd trance like someone waking up from a coma. His eyes grow big and he gasps, dropping my hand like it was on fire and leaping up away from me. "I…I'm so sorry Bulma! I have no idea what came over me!" My outrageous blush and a tie between embarrassment and excitement ties up my tongue and prevents me from making any noises whatsoever. Goku pivots on his feet to face away from me for the second time today and just continues on rambling. "I hope I didn't scare you. I was just overwhelmed by your kindness and beauty and…I mean, I read in this book once during Master Roshi's training…" No wonder. "…that a kiss on the hand was a way to show someone you love them and all…And I really love you, the most out of all our friends." I prevent the instinct to jerk.

So, you're saying he still considers me as a friend? There's a first, a man who _doesn't _want me in any definition of the word. I sigh dejectedly, still not able to summon a syllable. Goku lowers his voice to a hush. "I didn't do anything I'm not supposed too, right? Did I offend you again? Was that out of line or disgusting for you-"

He's clueless as to what he's doing. He has no idea what a kiss on the hand means. And suddenly, my mind snaps back in control.

That's when my tongue unfreezes and I'm able to speak once more.

I decide to make this right. "It… wasn't disgusting, and it certainly didn't offend me…however…" Seriously, I might as well tell him, _remind_ him, that he's performing actions that could come back and bite him in the ass one day. "Remember a while back, the day I gave you that necklace…?" I speak to his back. He whips around to show his attentiveness and nods in affirmative. "Well…as I said that day, we're…we're only friends Goku." His eyes slit dangerously, causing me to swallow my saliva, slightly perturbed. He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off instantaneously. "And, we're not supposed to do these types of actions together if you're married, which you are." My mood oscillates between being utterly sorrowful and unreservedly hopeless, a bitter combination.

He clicks his tongue in confusion. "We can't kiss each other's hands?"

I sigh. "No, Goku. That's a gesture of _romantic_ love, not love between friends, something a girlfriend and a boyfriend, and in your case, husband and wife, should only undertake. As I said before, I'm not in the kind of relationship where you could do something like that to me and it would be acceptable." Each word stabs me through the heart.

He sits down again and looks to the floor. "I'm not even allowed to kiss your hand? Even if Master Roshi's book said so?" He murmurs. I nod, despondent. For a small while, Goku remains perfectly silent, pondering things, but suddenly speaks up, obviously trying to lighten the mood. He laughs mirthfully much to my surprise, awing me at the point that he's able to get over things so quickly. I, however, am stuck in the limbo of my own regret. "Fine, but I don't like it! Therefore, I'll find other ways to show you I love you!"

…He's so goddamn innocent.

Heaven knows how he was able to pull such a face before.

He rises to his feet once more and stretches his arms behind his back nonchalantly, stretching out the limbs and his back until he sees fit. After uncoiling, he pulls out his necklace from under his shirt and looks at the monitor. "Whoa, look at the time! 8:21 already!" I peer around and notice, indeed, it's pitch black around us. "I need to get home before Chi-Chi castrates me! We have dinner waiting, and both Gohan and Chi-Chi hate it when I'm late."

…Way to pour lemon on the wound there, buddy. Not only do I have to push away my own love, he's got a family waiting for him at home.

Obviating from the possibility of Goku figuring out I'm not in the best condition emotionally, I put on an ebullient smile, masking my disappointment to the best of my ability. "Oh, of course! It is pretty late."

He grins, sauntering over to me and grabs my hand, pulling me up. Once placed firmly on the floor, I bend down and pick up all of our items, throwing them in my bag in insouciance. "Well then…" Goku's verbalization breaks out. "I'll see you tomorrow, eh, Bulma?" I nod, keeping the fake grin etched on my face, fighting back the urge to scream out in frustration and drop to the floor crying. Goku doesn't pick up on it, however his back already facing me. "Alright, see ya tomorrow!" He takes off powerfully, leaving me behind to stare at him making his way to his family, something I could never be a part of. I peer at this back, watching him fly off.

I know it's for the better that I told him off about the kiss, but…it has me wondering why my heart would resist so strongly against my mind during that whole situation. As if it has something it knows that I don't in my entirety, it ardently pushes on, telling me what to do and avidly instructing me in every situation it can. And I suppose it's not a coincidence that whenever I ignore its pleading, whenever I obdurate its cries, my mood almost mercurially flips on me, slamming my happiness to the bottom of the emotion pile and making it unreachable for days. I convinced myself then that pushing him away was what's best for _him, _but…

Isn't it about time I start thinking about _myself _for a change?

Once Goku's away from my vicinity, once no one's around to overhear me, I allow the desperate scream building up inside of me to burst out of my mouth as I anathematize my ever growing fickleness and disregard to my own feelings, a single tear escaping from my eye and rolling down my cheek.

* * *

**GOKU'S POV**

I take keen awareness of my surrounding, building up a solid defense protecting me from the surrounding ki's in my area. It's quiet, an unsettling sensation during the middle of a battle, but one I'm rather used to.

I feel one of the kis make a move, and quickly adjust to stop it. A foot comes sailing my way, soon being revealed as Gohan's. In retaliation, I grab his limb, sent back a couple of inches from the massive blow, and throw him on the ground with a grunt. Gearing up, I thrust my foot forward and slam it into his ribcage violently, the shock wave emanating a couple of moments later. He lets out a small cry of pain and is sent flying through the air at blinding speeds, through the commodious garden. As soon as my assail was launched, however, a large gathering of ki began to charge up, and once my foot disconnected with my son's side, is launched straight for me with a battle cry in the form of a beam. No time to dodge, I quickly position my arms behind and focus my energy into the palms of my hands. "Ka…me…ha…me…" I wait for the column of light to get closer, and as it takes a good 3 seconds, I deduce my opponent's rather far away. "Ha!" The energy explodes in a tremendous beam of light and is send towards the yellow/purple ki cluster coming straight for me. Judging by the colors, it's bound to be Piccolo's attack. The bright blue Kamehameha over takes Piccolo's assault instantaneously, dissolving it and shooting the rest of the way towards my enemy. I hear a couple of incoherent words spew out from the Namekian's mouth, and see his form appear from behind a bush. He dodges my attack with lightning speed, then gears up to attack me again. For some reason, his rapid motions reminds me of a certain girl who's been laying in the back of my mind, and how I could use some elements of how Piccolo fights to train her. It's a sudden thought, but it leaves me completely off guard.

Behind me, Gohan launches a surprise attack, and prepares to smash his hand into my face. Caught defenseless due to my thoughts, the fist collides into my cheekbone powerfully and sends me sailing through a tree. I skid onto the floor, but quickly hop up to avoid greater damage being dealt to me.

Am I goddamn _stupid?! _To think of such things during the middle of a battle is something even I have to agree is ridiculously idiotic! Keep your act and focus together, Goku, or you're gonna regret it!

Which reminds me, on the topic of Bulma, I need to ask Gohan something.

…Goddamnit Goku.

Once more, I tune up my senses and lock on to any kis in my vicinity. Much to my surprise, the two kis, which temporarily team up against me, rush forward to meet me. I look up and find two arms sailing for my body. Quickly, I raise my hands up and catch them both, pulling them forward to gain control. Close enough, I get a grip on both Gohan and Piccolo's heads, and once my grasp's strong enough, I smash their skulls together fiercely. Dizzied from my attack, they remain in place, groggy. I leap up, flip around, and mightily drop kick both of the males. As their forms fly separately, I rush forward and get in front of Piccolo's. Well, time to try something out. If Bulma can use her energy in such odd ways, why can't I?

Charging up ki to my arm, I find holding the energy there without pulling it out for an attack unbelievably hard, considering my experience with my own energy, and even becomes painful. While my mind tries to maintain control over the ki, my body resists against it powerfully. It's all I can do to hold the energy there for a couple of seconds, the agony in my arm growing. Before I can do more harm to myself then Piccolo, I drop my elbow on the Namekian's stomach and draw out a surprisingly audible cry from him, the point of impact reverberating from the force of the collision. Piccolo's form soon smashes into the ground and digs a couple of feet under, uprising dust and rubble, and I'm left gaping at how powerful this technique actually is.

And now, for my question.

I quickly transmit to Gohan before he can crash into anything and knock himself out before I'd have time to inquire. Catching his flying body, I'm hauled back a bit by the speed I sent him spiraling in. Recovering, I place the boy on the floor, showing an occasional inch of mercy, but actually for a different motive then joining as a team against Piccolo.

Still recovering from my attacks, the boy's a bit delirious, but nonetheless exhibits confusion to my actions. "What's up, daddy?" He remarks, wiping some blood of his mouth.

"That punch you threw before… the one that connected, I mean. Did you charge up any ki to your fist to land something that powerful?"

Gohan looks at me, flummoxed, still taking care of some dirt that graced his outfit. "Charge up ki to my hands for a punch? No, dad, I've never heard of ki being used like that."

Which means neither has Piccolo…Bulma really is something else, then. Not to mention such an idea came to her head as the first way she could hone her energy, and I think the blow I landed on Piccolo shows it's more then enough effective. "Has anyone you've ever fought done that?"

"Nope."

I cross my arms against my chest. "I see…Then, Gohan, I think it's time to call it a night, eh? It's 10:24 PM." I declare. Gohan pouts dejectedly. "Piccolo, we're done! It's time for Gohan to go to bed!"

"But daddy…I want to stay up with you!" I pat the boy on the head.

"It's best you get your rest. I'm planning a trip for us soon, and you're gonna need a lot of energy for it."

"…A trip? Of what kind?"

"A training camp in the mountains. That's what kind."

His face lights up. "Awesome! I've always wanted to go to the mountains!"

I nod, and grin ebulliently at my son's joy. Right around this time, Piccolo nears us, clutching his stomach. "What the hell…was _that…_Son Goku…?"

"What the hell was what?" Gohan chimes in. I smirk, and send to boy off to bed.

"It's nothing that concerns you. Go, Gohan, let us adults talk, okay?" Once more, Gohan's frown comes back, but supposedly reminding himself of the trip we're undergoing soon, flips one eighty, grins, and waddles away to the door of the house adorably. My cheek throbs, however, reminding me that there's nothing adorable about the boy when he's serious.

Piccolo and I stand in the massive outdoor garden, him eyeing me suspiciously. "You heard me." He grumbles. "Where did you gain such power in such a short amount of time?"

I beam. "I learned it from someone, and you're never gonna guess who. Let's go inside my room and talk, shall we? I've a lot to tell you, regardless if you inquired about the move or not."

* * *

Piccolo, once we're inside my room, me settled down on the bed, and him preferring, as always, to reside on the floor, wastes no time in interrogating me. "Well then? Out with it." Comes his immediate demand, obstinate regarding the issue at hand.

"Well, I've actually a lot to tell you, huh?" I remark. He tilts his head in slight confusion, as if ushering me to continue on. "Let me just fill you in for now, and then I'll explain in detail about the move." I cough a bit, clearing my throat. "For the past two months, I've been training Bulma, as a way not only to get close to her, but also to gain an extra hand during the battle against the androids." Piccolo is taken aback, looking at me with bewilderment in his eyes.

"Are you _serious?!" _He bellows, flummoxed. "You honestly believe that wasting some of _your _precious training opportunities to help a weak little brat develop her skills by the tiniest margin is actually going to aid us during the battle to come?!"

I slit my eyes and snap at the Namekian sharply. "Bulma is not a brat, Piccolo! I'd appreciate it if you'd stop beating her down!"

He shakes his head, exasperated, and clicks his tongue. "Fine. Just get on with it."

I calm myself down, questioning why I was so quick to snap in the first place. "So, as I was saying, I've been helping Bulma get stronger, and you wouldn't believe how good she's getting. Especially at energy control and managing her ki. She actually got down the basics in a day, much less 20 minutes."

Piccolo leers at me suspiciously. "And how would a _human girl _have such a latent talent hidden under her exterior?"

I smirk, happy to praise Bulma whenever I can. "You see, she has a very special energy layout. You know how our energy gathers at our core, the middle of our body, as does everyone else?" Piccolo merely nods. "Well see, Bulma's energy is split up into three places. Some resides in her arms and legs, but the majority of it lies in her mind." My words apparently obfuscate the Namekian.

"How is that possible? I've never heard of such a phenomenon."

"Bulma's special, Piccolo. That's why I told you all along not to belittle her." I continue on, getting to the real good stuff. "So, because her energy lies in her arms and legs, it not only gives her extra strength there and an energy boost when necessary, it makes moving ki there easier and quicker." Piccolo nods slowly, putting the pieces together. "And because the majority of her ki lies in her mind, it makes the energy easy to manipulate and facilitates the gathering and sending process altogether. Not only that, it gives her a natural affinity for energy control, therefore boosting up the amount of ki she holds now, even though her body might not match her level of power under her exterior. As well, for when she gets stronger, her true potential will suddenly burst out and become accessible."

"…That's amazing." Piccolo murmurs. "And all of this is hidden under a mere woman who's never fought but a battle in her life…" I smile, Piccolo's finally starting to show a marginal amount of respect for Bulma. Suddenly, he's snapped out of his awed state and coughs a bit, ridding himself of the embarrassment of admiring the girl's talents. "Regardless, how far have you gotten with her?"

"Well…" I start. "She's able to, as I said before, manage her ki with outstanding ease, and even developed a new technique for it, which I'll get to later. As for physical abilities, she's nearing that of a professional athlete, but still needs some work. She's able to punch through around 11 wooden boards and sprint the 100 meters in around 13.5 seconds, obviously nothing compared to us, but she's getting there." I remark. "Her handling with the Nyoibō's also improving."

Piccolo looks up, pondering things. "And how long have you been training her again?"

"Around 2 months, a bit less."

"For a human, and a girl nonetheless, that's highly impressive."

I smirk. "We haven't even gotten to the best part. Remember how I said she's come up with a different way to use ki?" Piccolo hums in affirmative. "Well, what she's done is, she's taken her energy, and applied it to different parts of her body without pulling the ki out into a tangible form."

Piccolo tilts his head, slightly confused. "What use would that do, then?"

"Well, see, when you do that, the energy is used as a…power up, let's say. It strengthens whatever part of the body you've applied it to if you're able to hold the ki there properly. I tried the technique during our battle outside when I landed that elbow in your stomach." He nods, subconsciously bringing his hand to his abdominals. "However, it's rather difficult to hold. To maintain the energy in one place without seemingly 'using' it makes your body think you've finished with the ki and tries to send it back to it's starting place. Resisting against such a force burns like hell, and weakens your resolve to keep the energy there." I smile a bit as I speak my next words. "How Bulma was able to get the hang of it within a day is completely besides me."

"And are you sure it's effective?"

I smirk once more. "Should you really be asking me? I mean, you're the one who took the blow."

Piccolo glares at me maliciously. "Shut up, you damn monkey."

"Anyway, Piccolo, there's something I'd like to speak with you about." I announce. "It's about something that happened with Bulma today. You know, regarding our relationship and all."

He sighs. "Son Goku, I am not your consultant. I'm merely a spectator in our stratagem of some sorts, and cannot actually manipulate the events that conspire. While I might be able to aid you in some situations, _love _and everything surrounding it is not my forte in any definition of the word."

I grimace a bit, needing to let go of everything I was holding during my time on Bulma's roof, and requiring an emotional relief, not to mention clarification on what happened. "Then…could you listen to me, not as a spectator, but as a friend?"

Piccolo, noticing my drop in valor and growing diffidence, ponders things for a bit on the floor, mumbling remotely to himself. Then, much to my surprise, stands up, prances over to the bed, and sits down on the sheets for the first time ever. I grin. "Thank you."

He scoffs, but turns to me with the smallest smile I've ever seen displayed on a face. However, it's the first, and quite possibility last, sight and expression of passiveness I'd ever see on Piccolo's countenance, so I savor the image. "Just get on with it."

"Alright." My smile dies down. "We have this tradition, Bulma and I, that whenever training is over, we'd go onto her roof and watch the sunset while eating some homemade strawberry cake." Piccolo rolls his eyes caustically. "So today, we were doing just the same thing, but…" I rub my head sheepishly, and bite my lip. "Today was a bit different. Well, let me go back to the beginning…" I ponder things for a bit, then realize something. "Wait! I need to ask you to do something."

Piccolo tilts his head, and inquires with a sigh. "Yes, Son Goku?"

"Don't tell anyone about this, okay? I'm only telling your because I trust you."

Piccolo scoffs once more. "Trust is a feeble concept, Son Goku. But fine, I'll maintain this as a secret."

"Great! Okay, so back to the story. Remember that dinner party, the one that happened around 9 days ago?" I receive not a single signal from Piccolo, so I carry on without waiting. "Well…I caught Bulma walking down the stairs all dressed up and the sight of her…it kind of…took my breath away, you know? With her hair tied up perfectly and her form being highlighted in that dress-"

Piccolo interrupts me. "Are you saying that…you thought she looked… _beautiful_?!" His facial features are strained with disbelief. "_You, of all people _picked up on the _physical attributes_ of a _female?!" _

I nod. "Not only that, this strange…avidity kind of swept my body and took over my mind. Ever since that day, the only thing I've been able to think of, mainly, is Bulma."

Piccolo's face could be the definition of bewildered. I mean, I could take a picture of him, and _bam, _you'd see his face there, right in between "bewaring" and "bewitch". "For Kami's sake…Goku…you…you're physically attracted to the female."

I recoil. "…A-Attracted? What do you mean by that?!"

"…Well, continue on with what you were explaining, and I will deduce later the probability of the preciseness regarding my hypothesis."

"Oh, um, sure." I murmur. "Well, anyway, today after training, we were eating cake on roof like always, and as I've been tending to do as of late, I kind of got carried away while gazing at her. Well…We were joking around, and she made this poke at me, but…the face she made then, with her mouth in a genuine smile and her eyes lidded and everything…it made me remember back to that same dinner party, and made me realize that Bulma's beautiful wherever she is. I don't know why, I just kinda…had an epiphany."

"…Continue. I know that is not the full extend to your tale."

"Mm, true that." I sigh, biting my lip. "So, it got to the point where…I don't know, my face felt flushed, and my heart kind of picked up in speed, and all of a sudden it was difficult to look and respond properly to her. After she asked me if I was all right, it was all I could do to explain to her what was wrong, and that was as, I said before, I was overtaken by my realization of how goddamn beautiful she is."

"I see…" Piccolo mutters thoughtfully.

"She was so shocked by my words, however, it made me think a bit. I mean, is it that she has some sort of complex, or is it just odd that it came from my lips?"

Piccolo crosses his arms and legs, closing his eyes minutely, before he slowly reveals the irises again. "Goku…" I notice he didn't use "Son" this time. "You do understand that you are usually blatantly oblivious to the beauty of anything, right?"

"Yeah." I clench a bit at the covers beneath me. "I mean, beauty just wasn't something I would pick up on. It's not like it was compelling. I mean, I always knew Bulma was good looking, but…but not _overwhelmingly_ gorgeous. As of late, as I've been spending more time with her, _everything _she does is enchanting to me."

Piccolo clicks his tongue. "You're really changing, Goku." I nod, not processing whether that's a positive thing or a negative. "But _she_ does not know that, and still considers you to be that innocent boy she met in the mountains. You, of all people, remarking about _anything's _beauty would obfuscate even the most stoic people, especially if it is them you are talking about."

"…Was I really that oblivious regarding _everything_? As far as I'm concerned, these odd reactions only happen when I'm in the presence of Bulma. I look over to Chi-Chi, for example, and I don't get that…that rush of emotions. I don't get anything! Of course, I know she's not ugly, per say, and does have some good looking features, but it's just…it's not like when I'm with Bulma."

Piccolo freezes. "Clarify what you mean by rush of emotions."

I gulp. "Well…I don't know how to explain, so maybe if I continue on, you'll understand." Piccolo nods, placing his head into the upstretched palm of his hand. "So, after I told her she was beautiful, Bulma's face turned red and she got real shy all of a sudden. I thought I had done something wrong, so I quickly became dejected, whipped away from her, and tried apologizing." I grin a bit, remembering her reaction after that. "She became more flustered, and turned me around with her hand, of which the contact kind of sent lightning down my shoulders, and explained how it was fine, that I merely made her too happy to respond."

"And…?" Piccolo inquires.

"Well…she said something that shocked me at the time. She said that I'm, of all people, considering her beauty, really handsome, and I've always been." I lick my lips, them becoming slightly dry from my constant onslaught of words. "Initially I was shocked, to say in the least. I couldn't believe, in the slightest, that someone actually thought I was good-looking. I mean, I'm a man who grew up in the mountains, not some model or whatever." I shake my head. "But then, she didn't stop there. In order to validate her claim, she explained how many other girls have told her indeed that I'm handsome, as if her opinion wasn't enough for me." I shake my head, and peer over to Piccolo, who's listening intently with his eyes closed. "I…I don't know what happened after that. I kind of…lost control over my emotions, really. It angered me when Bulma actually thought that other's opinions about me ranked over her own. Not only that, this…wave of possessiveness overcame my senses and…just…"

"I understand. Continue."

"Well, I told her that I didn't care about anyone else, only about her, and if she had an opinion about me, it's the only one that would sway me in any way. She was taken aback for a few, but continued on, trying to tell me to take notice about what other people thought of me. As she persisted more, this…this heat, built up in my heart and in my lower torso. It's not the first time I've felt this, however, it was the most powerful and overwhelming, and it completely took over my course of action." I fidget with my fingers a bit. "After I'd gotten enough of Bulma trying to disregard what she thought of me, I…I needed her to know that her opinion is the most important to me, always was, and always will be. I asked her if I was good looking, only her, filtering out everyone else's thoughts, and she quickly answered affirmative." I bite my lip. "And that's just when _everything _kind of snapped inside of me. A strong, ardent desire filled me that was unstoppable. My mind filled up with Bulma, my hands wanted to hold her, my eyes wanted to look as long as I could…Because of this, I just _had _to get closer. What I settled for was gently caressing her hand and laying a kiss on the skin. I even had to quickly cover up the reason for doing so with reading the action out of some book Master Roshi gave me."

Piccolo can't help the laugh from bursting out of his mouth. "You have really changed, haven't you? It's amazing what a single female can do to the most innocent males. Hah, to think that _you, _of all people, would start processing situations like a _man."_

"But…she…she pushed me away, Piccolo. She said that what I was doing wasn't the actions a friend, but of a lover, and therefore inappropriate. She said I should kiss Chi-Chi's hand, and Chi-Chi's hand only. What I was surprised the most by, however, was the…the _hurt _in her eyes, the agony she tried desperately to hide, as she said each and every word, as if saying what she did pained her."

Piccolo nods his head. "Which means she said what she did, not on her own accord, not in the aid of her feelings, but rather for yours. Do you understand, Goku? She thinks that you merely regard her as a friend, not of something more. Therefore, she felt as if she's taking advantage of you if she'd let you do such things when you're deceived that it is what friends do."

I gape a bit. "So she pushed me away for…_my_ sake?"

"Yes." Piccolo bluntly replies.

I can't believe it.

Guilt floods my senses and takes over my heart rapidly like a tsunami of negative emotions. She hurt herself for _my sake_? Why? Why did she put her feelings on the line for me?! Then what does that mean? That smile Bulma put on before I left …was that fake? Was that a mere cover up to mask the fact that she was devastating herself inside? Goddamnit, Bulma! Start thinking about yourself, for a change!

"Then what about the desire?!" I lean forward and desperately grab Piccolo's shoulders. "What did that mean, Piccolo? What did all of those emotions, the sudden rush of desire, the kiss…what did that all mean?!" I hear my voice crack a bit from exerting my vocal cords so much.

Piccolo quickly swats my hands off of his body, and smirks. "Well, Goku…You are most certainty reacting like any male to a good looking female. You…you're getting…Kami help me…how do I explain this in semantics you could understand…?"

Pleading for answers, I reply hastily. "Just use any words you'd like!"

He nods. "You are quite desperate, I see? Surely, I'll try. You, Goku, as I said before, are attracted and by Bulma. But unlike what I meant before, your passion and avidity is stronger then most people's."

"…Again, what do you mean by attraction?" I inquire hastily.

"It means you're body is evoking interest, pleasure, or liking for someone or something. In this case, it's Bulma."

"I…I'm kind of confused." I murmur.

"Well…you lovecertain aspects of everything, but you seem to like everything about Bulma. Not only her looks, which even I have to agree are highly above average, but her personality, her actions, everything. You love her as a package."

"So I love her a friend, but I'm starting to see past that or something?" I inquire.

"Possibly, most likely. It does seem that your innocence is still at play and you regard her as a friend of the highest position, but the mentions of heat and desire you've told play against that and say something more…ardent is at work within you. I do see another type of love swarming in you when you think of Bulma, even if it's not fully developed."

I stay silent for a bit. "What do you mean by 'another type of love'? I thought I loved everyone, but Bulma a bit more." I look down, eyeing the creases in the bed sheets like they were some revolutionary sight.

"…Goku, there are mainly three types of love. Love between family, which is what you feel withGohan, love between friends, which is what you feel with Krillin and the like, and love between…lovers, really, which is what you _should _feel with Chi-Chi, but _could _feel with Bulma."

"…I love Bulma as a _wife?!" _I bellow, flabbergasted.

"…Not yet, Goku. But it's becoming a very possible situation."

I stay still for a while before suddenly collapsing back onto the sheets of the beds. My mind reels from the breakthroughs and realizations that were brought to my attention today. I know my love for Bulma's growing, yes, but I thought "love" was meant for friends. Now, it could actually get to the point where my feeling could pass friendship and move on to something else? Something more…romantic? I mean, how long will it take? How many things does _she _have to do for that line to be crossed? It's a thought that leaves me perturbed but jubilant, flummoxed but rapturous, and honestly, I really have no idea what to feel or how to react.

It's merely too much of a trial simply questioning why this suddenly exploded into action. Could it be because of the time I'm spending with Bulma, or could it be something else? Maybe I've just matured suddenly, and I'm having that reaction with any woman who's outstandingly beautiful. Certainly, I think it not to be true, but it is a possibility. With everything I thought I knew about myself and my relationships turning fugacious, I wonder if all of this is happening for the better. Maybe I _should _fall in love with Bulma. Maybe romantic love is what _we_ need. I know I'm already married, and I know I already have a child but…shouldn't I follow my heart instead of a silly childhood promise which I upheld because of a misunderstanding? Shouldn't I do what my grandpa told me from all those years back? From my days on that planet I spend a year on after the Frieza battle to now, his voice still rings in my head.

"_When the time comes, marriage is something you should always be careful with. Girls will deceit you in many ways to gain your hand in marriage, whether it be for your good looks, which I'm sure you'll gain, your power, or your money, heavens sake, if you even get a job. Just…make sure you marry someone who you really, honestly, truly love, someone who's been there for you the whole time, someone who you hold closer to you then anyone else."_

Before…I thought that it made sense. I thought I knew what he meant, that the phrases he strung together were processed correctly in my mind. I actually believed that my interpretation of the speech was the one I would go by, I was so confident into my speculations and determinations. Now I know there's nothing farther from the truth.

I open my mouth and groan desperately. "I just don't understand, Piccolo. Is this a good thing?"

"Certainly it's a good thing, Goku. Not only for our stratagem, but also for you. It's not a bad thing to become closer to a friend."

"No…I mean…is it a bad thing if soon, I'd come to _love _that friend?"

"While you're currently in matrimony, correct?"

"…Yes."

"…I can only say one thing, Goku. As I brought up before, I'm not experienced in these situations, and merely know the technicalities of them. But…" He sighs, placing his hand on my shoulder, a look of suppressed sympathy in his eyes. "Follow your heart, no matter how cliché it seems. You need to determine yourself who you really want to be with. Bulma, or Chi-Chi."

"…But…! That means…"

"I know, Goku. You need to choose."

I stay silent for a little while. "What if…remember that training trip I was planning for you and Gohan, as well as me, to go on to the mountains?"

Piccolo tilts his head. "What about it?"

"What if I invited Bulma along? Then, I could determine what I truly feel for her over the duration of the trip."

Piccolo pulls a "not bad" face. "Not too shabby of an idea, Goku. However, would _Chi-Chi _agree with such a maneuver? I understand you guys have been on the edge lately with each other regarding Bulma."

"I'm sure if I plead hard enough, she'll let me bring the girl along." I remark with certainty. While Chi-Chi might be harsh and unforgiving, if I act docile and kind enough, I'm sure the nicer side of her could come through.

"Alright, then I have no reason to disagree."

"And…Piccolo…?"

"Yes, Goku?"

"Is it…is it alright to be so elated about the current unfolding of events?"

He sighs. "Of course, you fool."

I stay silent for a bit. "Piccolo?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"…Anytime."

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**Yeah, it's not exactly a happy chapter, eh? Well, the plot will start to thicken as of next time, so there won't be many sweet little moments starting one or two chapters from now. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Leave a review if you liked it, and don't forget to favorite!**


	10. Brutal Altercations & Sudden Diffidence

**Hey all! I'm back once more! Let me just tell you, I'll be leaving literally today for a three week trip to the States, so I won't be posting anything during these times. Hopefully you can see through to the end of that, yes?**

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**Reply to Guest Reviewers:**

**To Jonathan: **¡Gracias! Esto se está poniendo interesante, ¿no? Voy a trabajar duro para obtener el siguiente capítulo fuera!

**To Cutiepie:** Yeah, it was about time that things started becoming more realistic, eh? I mean, you can't fall in love with a married man and expect no repercussions. Poor Bulma, yes? Yeah, the heart break won't stop there. It's gonna get real hard for the girl from now on. :(

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**_IMPORTANT: _There's some harsh language in this chapter and some very slight sexual themes. Please, if this disturbs or offends you, don't carry on.**

_**DISCLAIMER: **_**I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I'm not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**

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Alright, please enjoy the chapter! Don't be afraid to review and favorite if you like the story! All reviews are responded to!

**For the last time in three weeks, enjoy!**

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**~CHAPTER 10: BRUTAL ALTERCATIONS AND SUDDEN DIFFIDENCE~**

**GOKU'S POV**

The alarm clock rings besides me, and I resist the urge to smash it to pieces. The first thing I notice, however, is the unmistakable fear that takes over my body like tidal waves unleashed onto a small beach summerhouse.

Already, huh?

It's an odd feeling, waking up with dread already shoved down your throat, one I haven't exactly felt before. I knew what I had to do from the moment it was brought up yesterday, but even my prior knowledge of the conspiring events couldn't brace me for this. The concept of what I have to do is quite simple. It's not something that takes an Einstein, or a _Bulma_, to figure out, and in fact, in theory, sounds real easy.

Hah! _Easy?_ Yeah, banish the thought!

I have to ask Chi-Chi a question.

And not just _a question._

But whether or not Bulma can come on the trip to the mountains is hanging in the balance of if my "wife" says yes or no.

And therefore, the fate of the world could depend on Chi-Chi.

I can already sense the hurricane to come, and trust me; it's not hard considering it's Chi-Chi we're talking about. I've already been having enough problems with her since that dinner party. Apparently the fact that Bulma and I escaped out to the blue-haired female's room so I could bestow my surprise to her riled up the temperamental woman past the point of "I'll give you a cup of tea in bed and you'll be alright the next day". After the whole event, Chi-Chi took a good solid 45 minutes of my precious sleeping time to question me about what conspired with Bulma up in her room. I mean, we were just eating cake for god's sake, and even as I told Chi-Chi that, a massive scowl spread up upon her lips.

I probably don't even have to mention this, but even since then, Chi-Chi and I have been like squabbling children both set on their decision when it comes to Bulma. Even merely bringing up the girl's name in conversation would cause a fit of screaming from my partner, as if I'm only allowed to talk about one girl, and that one girl's her. I mean, I'm well aware that the whole Trunk's issue is feeding fuel to the fire, and I can easily process that in order for this plan to work, Bulma and I have to go to bed, but heck, it's for the greater good of the world.

…Not to mention, ever since Piccolo's talk yesterday, I've had almost no qualms spring up to my mind when the fact that I have to take Bulma to bed suddenly became apparent in my thoughts. Whether that's good or bad is unknown to me, but I trust my body's instincts over anything else. I don't have much more, regardless, to process the situation.

But back to the actual problem.

Merely flipping the covers off of my feet seems like a hurdle, the sunlight crashing through the window blinding me and my fear paralyzing me. It's not an exaggeration to say that I'm scared speechless, but it's not like the woman herself scares me. It's just the fact of what I might do if I lose it on her. I've already been particularly high on edge, and anything can throw me over the line so we really have to scratch that itch of negative possibilities and make sure it doesn't grow. As soon as I put my foot on the floor and push up my body, I hear the sigh of the woman whom my next conversation will enlist, her soft "tips" and "taps" echoing off the wooden panels and getting ever louder, indicating she's nearing the room.

Sure enough, the door to my chamber opens, Chi-Chi entering with a small tray of food for me. "Oh…You're already up, huh?" She hands me the plate covered in scrambled eggs, looking at me warily. "Try not to make a mess, alright?" Her less then scathing tone makes it's way to me as I peer down at the eggs. Alrighty then, she seems to be in a pleasant mood! Hopefully this could actually go somewhere.

She plops down onto the bed besides me. "So, are you heading off to train your _disciple_ yet?" Probably should have mentioned this, but Chi-Chi still has no idea that I'm training Bulma. In fact, Piccolo's the only one outside of the actual people participating inside the event that knows.

I rub the back of my head, putting my tray to the side after much hesitation. It's hard for me to say this, but food can wait.

I gather my courage. "No, Chi-Chi. Not yet. But I need to ask you something."

Chi-Chi's eyes narrow suspiciously. "…Is this what I think it is?"

I sigh. "I don't know, Chi-Chi. I really don't." Chi-Chi stands up from the bed and walks over to the vanity table, occupying the chair with a huff. "You're going to be mad at first, but hear me out, okay?"

She slits her eyes further, a dangerous tinge to her voice. "…Try me."

I swallow my saliva, cheering myself on and trying to force my words, which're obstinate about resisting vocalization, out of my mouth in one big go. "Remember that training trip that Gohan, Piccolo, and I are going on soon?" She nods curtly, egging me to continue. I feel my resolve shake a bit, and push myself to go on. "W-Well, I was wondering…would it be okay to…uh…bring Bulma along…?"

Chi-Chi stiffens up at my words and then instantaneously leaps out of her chair, sending the wooden structure crashing into the table. I jump three feet in the air. "That girl _again?! _Are you _fucking_ _serious, _Goku?!" She stomps on the floor, sending an ugly thump down the wooden planks. "This is a _training _trip that you're going on to get stronger! Not a _goddamn orgy_!"

Not exactly sure what an orgy is, but no use questioning it. "No, no, you misunderstand, Chi-Chi! Bulma's coming along to train as well!" I remark, then slap my mouth in realization of what just slipped from my lips.

"Goddamnit Goku! I'm already having more then _enough_ problems and regrets about letting Gohan go with you _brutes_, and then you have to go and make it worse?!" Did she completely miss what I said before? Is her rage blinding and deafening her? "Do you really want to let our little boy experience the influence of a tramp?!"

I flip around and face the woman with heated eyes, a small scowl on my lips. "…Bulma's not a tramp, Chi-Chi!"

"Hah! Right, and I'm not a girl!" Your demeanor points validation at that hypothesis.

"What the hell conspired in the past that made you so hostile to her?! Sid she do to you to make you think of her this way?!" Chi-Chi blows air from her nose. Her action riles me up, as if talking about Bulma was an inconvenience.

"She hasn't done anything to me directly, you moron!"

…What?!

"I just don't like her, Goku, and I certainly don't like how she's getting closer to you while you're married to me already! She acts as if that's not a limitation and gives the love between us no regard!"

Um…no?

As if anything could be farther from the truth! My mind quickly snaps back to yesterday, how _Bulma herself _pushed me away for the sake of _Chi-Chi's and my _relationship! I know Chi-Chi is not aware of that, but how can she judge how Bulma feels regardless? The love between _us? The romantic love between Chi-Chi and I? _Hah, I'm not even sure if there's such a thing from my side!"Chi-Chi, she's a goddamn friend, for heaven's sake! I've told you that one-too-many times already! Can you not take a hint?!"

"Goku, don't you dare speak like that to me! I don't give a fucking damn whether or not you've told me, it's what _I feel _is happening that's most important!"

"Then why the hell do you bother me so about what's going on between us?!" My irritation for the circles this woman is undertaking is really getting the better of me. "Why won't you just let her be?!"

"_Why the_ _hell won't you?!" _Chi-Chi's voice quickly becomes shrill. It's hard to believe she was the woman serving me eggs in bed two minutes ago. "You're too goddamn innocent, Goku! How many fucking times do I have to say it?! What she's doing to you is inexcusable, but you don't know it!"

Really? What does _she _know?! "I assure you Chi-Chi, there's nothing farther from the truth!" She's really starting to piss me off! "Tell me, what has Bulma done to me in the past few months that's 'inexcusable'?!" Chi-Chi freezes up, caught a bit at my question. I would smirk mentally, knowing she's stuck, but anger already takes its designated place. "What's wrong?! Stuck?! Lost for words?!" It's hard resisting against my rage, the words flowing out of my mouth with no limitations. I don't become furious easily, but when I do, it's drowns my other feelings, including mercy, regard, and namely, consideration.

Taken aback by my exclaim, Chi-Chi scowls and pounces on me, gripping my collar and shaking me back and forth. "You…you obdurate asshole! How dare you speak like that to me?!" I receive a brutal slap across my cheek, of which stings a bit. I growl fiercely. Really? _Really?! I'm _theobdurate one?!

"How about you answer my question, eh? And then you can take as much time as you want to inquire the tone of my semantics!" I snap. I'm definitely more mad then usual, and maybe it's because Chi-Chi's assaulting a direct attack on Bulma. Either way, I find it hard not to let my temper get the better of me.

After a while, Chi-Chi finally speaks up regarding my heated inquiry. "…You know what she did, Goku!"

…Are you serious?!

"Oh, really?! What do I look like, a mind reader?! Or are you just wasting time to actually find a valid reason for why you hate Bulma?!"

Chi-Chi jerks, knowing I'm correct, then lets go of my collar roughly, slamming her feet back onto the floor. I notice Gohan open the door, but leave him be. "I…I don't have to see anything to know that blue-haired skank's no good! What, has her ego deluded her into thinking she can do anything she wants around a happily married man?!" …I'm really starting to lose it! " Come to think of it, why are youso fucking fixated on her in the first place?! I don't see anything good about her! Sure, she may be smart, but what else? She doesn't have the look…" Hah! Right, sure, and I'm an obese Namekian who grew up on Planet Vegeta until the age of five who then got send to Earth on a mission to eradicate all chickens. "…she doesn't have the modesty, she doesn't have the kindness, she doesn't have the strength, she doesn't have _anything! _As far as I'm concerned, she hasn't done anything to help you in anyway, and she never will! She's a goddamn waste of fucking space!" My temper leaps up sky high, breaking all previous limits and shattering common sense. All regard and compassion for Chi-Chi's feelings are flung out the window as I jerk up from the bed rigidly and stomp over to the door, which's slightly open from my son's peering. Wasting no time, I hurl my hand down and slam it shut, erecting a small cry from Gohan, and turn back to Chi-Chi, glaring venomously.

"So is that what you're doing?! You've got no evidence against her so you're just going to beat Bulma down?!" I scoff caustically. "Is that what you become like when you hold so much unexplained hate for someone?! Come on Chi-Chi, I'm supposed to be the stupid one, but right now you look plain idiotic!" I turn away and run my hands through my hair exasperatedly, tiring of this woman and longing to get out of the house and back to the amazing presence of Bulma. Without turning around, I snap. "I'll ask one more time! Can Bulma come with us on the trip to the mountains, and you better goddamn answer me this time!"

Chi-Chi stomps up to me and grabs my shirt fiercely. Flipping me around, she grabs my collar once more and wrenches me down to her level, bringing her face deathly close to mine. "You want my answer?" She whispers, eyes full of rage and anger and hands trembling out of fury. "You'll get my answer."

"_No." _

I rip her hand from my shirt, staring at the woman in massive disbelief, eyes widened and mind paralyzed. I open my mouth to disagree ardently, but soon shut it in knowledge that nothing I say will sway the opinion of the girl in front of me. My mouth shut in bewilderment, I'm only able to shakily pronounce a few words right off the bat. "You know what…?" I mutter, my head aching from the shouting and bantering, not to mention from the rage I'm attempting to suppress bursting out at the seems. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what you want." I walk away from the bed and start to the closets, stripping myself of my pj's and grabbing any old shirt from the cabinets. "Why did I even bother asking you, knowing what your answer's gonna be?" Once fully changed, I grab my bag, already filled with the training materials I need for today and turn to face Chi-Chi, who's trembling with fury.

"Because I'm your goddamn_ wife_, Goku! You're supposed to let my know everything about what's happening!" She shrieks. "And what the hell do you mean, "It doesn't matter"?! Of course it matters Goku! You're in love with me, remember?! You're supposed to care about how I feel!"

I glare at Chi-Chi straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry Chi-Chi, but right now, I could really care less about how you're feeling." Well, that was extremely out of character for me. Chi-Chi flinches back. "I need to bring Bulma along, whether you like it or not. This was my fault for including you in the first place knowing you'd react like…well, you." Chi-Chi shudders with rage, unable to do anything but stand there, teeth clenched, hands shaking and eyes burning holes into me.

"_You unredeemable bastard!"_ She screams. "…You know what? Fine! Go! Let that bitch come with you! But find your own goddamn way up and down the mountain, and don't expect any calls from me anytime soon! Fix your own food and clean your own dishes! For these next couple of months that you're gone, we'll be completely cut off until you realize how horrible of a person that Bulma girl is!" Her voice shudders, the pitch fluctuating back and forth while her lips quiver after saying what she said. Her eyes start to water up, yet I can only look on in fury. "Goodbye Goku!" With that, she curtly stomps over to the tray holding the eggs, picks them up roughly, sending some of the yolk onto the floor, then exits the room with a final glare, slamming the door audibly behind her. I hear multiple screams and crashes outside of my room.

…Goddamnit Kami.

* * *

**BULMA'S POV**

A yawn escapes my lips quietly, so I cover up my mouth should anyone come it to the room, as I suit up for my training for the day, putting any necessary equipment that I might need into my bag. The task usually consists of hurried rushing and constant trips as I make haste to gather everything on time, but as the minutes roll along and the 60 seconds become hours, I've found my pace slow down and normalize.

Last time I checked, and who knows how long that is, it was 7:46 A.M., and I oddly haven't seen Goku anywhere. Usually he'll come at around 6:30 due to my request of having more time to sleep, and is quite periodic about it. To be late is something extremely unlike him, especially at such a mercurial day. I don't see any reason for his tardiness, but deduce it to be something important, so I drop it.

In the kitchen, I place my water bottle inside my bag (I went downstairs to fill it up) and haul it across my back, sighing as the weight pulls me down a bit. I've still got a long way to go, huh? I make my way up the stairs and back to my room, slowly performing every action without a care to the world.

On the topic of Goku, however, I wonder how I'm going to be able to deal with him from now on. I mean, it's not like I had an epiphany yesterday, and my mind's completely blocking off any developments with Goku relationship wise, but…I mean, I pushed him away cause I didn't want him to get any shit from Chi-Chi, acting seemingly oblivious to my own feelings. I just…

I don't know what to do anymore! It's completely out there that Goku and I have no chance together, even if our relationship's becoming more prominent and developed. Chi-Chi, for one, doesn't like me and certainly won't let me get close to Goku in anyway should she find out about this, Goku's already married, he has a child which he obviously cares for, he thinks that I'm his best friend and that's it…all the odds point against what I'd like to happen.

So maybe it was better that I pushed him away. Maybe I need to teach him more about what _we _could do as _friends. _Maybe I should stop being _so goddamn fickle and make up my mind about what I want to do._

…But I know eventually down the road, Goku's going to do something that'll make all of my guards crumble and all of my fortresses surrender. I honestly don't know whether I'm looking forward to or dreading such a moment.

I sigh, finally tackling the last flight of stairs and waddling to my room, where I peculiarly find the door closed. Questioning whether or not I did such a thing, since I usually keep the door open, I crank my room open in the slightest to peer through. After a while of shifting my eyes and looking around, I deduce no one to be there, relax and flip the wooden barricade all the way back, slamming it shut after I'm in my room. I saunter up to my mattress and put my bag on the bed, collapsing back onto the covers. What time is it now? I break out my necklace and flip the monitor over, looking first for any signs of Goku in the near vicinity of me and then checking the time.

It's now 8:21.

Ugh.

"This is so boring! Where the hell is he?" I exclaim with a small roll of my body on the mattress.

"Where's _who_, exactly?"

I jump five feet in the air out of shock and ungracefully tumble onto the floor out of fright and panic. Quickly recovering my stance before my dignity could be further tarnished, I whip around my room trying to find where that voice came from. "W-Who's there?!"

"Who else, woman? I live here, unless you've forgotten." Vegeta's raspy voice breaks it's way into my hearing range.

…Beautiful.

Just the time I want _him_ to be in my room. Where Goku can come in at any moment and ruin everything for me. I mean, I'm too beautiful to have a grudge held against me! …Okay, no stop, you're right about the beautiful part, but heck, many people have grudges against you. Anyway, the point is, Vegeta can't find out about the training! It's not like something terrible will happen, but he's a man who runs on threats and blackmailing. He'll easily have leverage over me with Chi-Chi being one of the main menace to my training, and certainly would use it should I denounce him in anyway.

"So, you didn't answer my question. Who're you waiting for?" I can hear the Saiyan but I can't see even the smallest glimmer of his body, even if I cheat a bit and apply some ki to my eyes to improve my vision. Not too much, however, or Vegeta could pick up on it.

After finding nothing at a first glance, I huff and stomp my foot lightly on the floor. It's obvious he won't reveal himself willingly so I need to get him to speak. It's so convenient, though, using your ki like a boost. It powers up all parts of your body, if, of course, you're able to apply it perfectly, and that itself is a miraculous achievement. However, just as Goku said, I have an affinity for energy control so it's no sweat for me. Man, the guy really hit the head on the nail with his hypothesis. Anyway, focusing at the problem at hand. "Reveal yourself, and I just might." I coax, flipping some of my now long blue hair from away from my countenance with a show of confidence and dominance to this situation, even though Vegeta's the one who's got me by the heels. I take another look around and apply some ki to my ears to boost my sense of sound detection.

"…A bargainer, eh? I always found that appealing in a woman." I'm slightly taken aback by this, but smirk and decide to play along to search for time.

"Well, it's a pity you don't have a chance with me, yeah?" I poke back, stalling as I prod for Vegeta with my eyes and ears.

"Why would you even think I would consider _you _as a possible candidate for my love?" I hear where the voice is coming around, and deduce he's higher up then I thought initially.

"Why not? It's not like you have a chance with any other woman, little man." I shoot back.

Vegeta scoffs mordantly. "What I lack in height, I make up in…other regions." I'm unable to stop the blush erupting on my face from his outrageous words. How…how _goddamn salacious _was that?! He chuckles at my face, apparently being able to see me when I'm not able to catch him. Just…just follow through, Bulma. The direction of his voice points to him being at the top of the cabinet holding my clothes, hidden wisely from the smallest indent that the ceiling holds. I dispel the energy from my visionary organs.

"Ooh, I'm sure that'll be key to getting any girl…" I flip my hair and pivot around on my feet, walking up to the direction that the Saiyan's in. I charge up ki to my feet once up to the cabinet and take a large leap in order to reach the top of the dresser. Once high enough, with a smirk, I grab hold of Vegeta's shirt, push off the closet, and viciously slam him back down onto the floor beneath me. "…except for me."

Vegeta's face is contorted in shock and surprise, a rare occasion for me to bestow. Hell, how well that whole scene played out even amazed _me._ I'm actually able to do something! I reside on his stomach, my legs around his surprisingly powerful torso and my hand around his neck should he decide to fight back. For some reason, knowing the man under me could completely decimate me in a fight didn't beat down my confidence or fill me up with diffidence. It's a wonderful feeling! "That'll teach you never to let your guard down, even in the presence of a female." I drawl.

"How did you manage to do that…?" He mutters, shocked but quite enraged. Hah, of course! He just had his honor tarnished by a common woman!

I smirk and place my finger onto his lips. It's been a while since I've played like this! "Shh…that doesn't matter." I stand up from his form and saunter over to the bed, sitting down and looking at him from above. I feel Vegeta's eyes bore holes into mine intensely. "Now, what're you here for?"

Vegeta, caught a bit at my demeanor before, remains on the floor for a while before he stands up, brushing himself off. "…You haven't answered my question, woman. You'd do well to do so before my temper explodes."

"Heh…Which one?" I inquire mordantly.

"Both, obviously!" He snaps.

"Ooh, is the little "Prince of all Saiyans" mad at me? Maybe that little slam I gave him rattled his ego, mm?" I jab at him.

Vegeta slits his eyes maliciously then briskly walks forward to me. Instead of flinching out of fear like I would usually do, I remain completely calm even when his thick fingers wrap around my neck and he slams me back against the bed. I blink slowly. "Are you deaf, you stupid woman?! Answer me if you value your ability to breathe!"

"Oh, I see. You really think coercing me is gonna work?" I slap his hand off of my windpipe and widen my grin, fixing my posture back upright. "Well, not gonna happen, buddy. And I'm not gonna tell you what's up either."

Vegeta glares at me in fury, obviously pissed at someone not listening to him. "Hmph. Well then, obviously you don't want me to leave the room, eh?" He replies, taking a seat on the chair in front of the vanity.

I wait a bit before I answer. "Fine by me." I walk over to my mechanical table and take off my necklace. I had some minor adjustments to make, but I haven't been able to get to it due to time constraints. Might as well do some of it now. "I'll just be here, then." I plop down onto the chair and begin tinkering with the necklace. Meanwhile, deducing the bed to be more comfortable, or maybe just eager to get away from the cosmetics and perfumes littering my vanity table (Saiyans have a stronger sense of smell then humans. I've learned that from the first "Strongest Under the Heavens" contest, where Goku reacted violently to Bacterian's odor.), Vegeta gets up off the table and sits down on my mattress.

I ignore him and for a couple of minutes, tinkering with the necklace, tweaking the phone and camera to have better quality and changing some of the decorative pieces to a tinge of blue. The change was preferably to accessorize, but also to differentiate between necklaces should Goku let me make some others for the group. I don't think he's going to let me, however, as his possessiveness over my dependence prevents such a thing from happening. I can't help a small smile grow on my face. He's like my goddamn guardian, for Kami's sake!

I hear a shift behind me and attempt not to whip around. "What _is it_ about you…?" Vegeta starts randomly.

"…What?" I mutter, not turning around to face him directly. "What do you mean?"

"Why is there a quality about you that's different from the rest of the female vermin on this planet?" Vegeta concludes.

To this, I pivot around on my chair and openly gape at him. It takes me a while to answer him. "…What drugs _aren't _you on?" I scoff and turn around once more to continue making adjustments to the necklace. "Maybe you_ are_ a bit rattled from that smash I gave you, because I'm no different from any other girl on this planet. Merely a bit prettier and a bit smarter." I remark mordantly.

"…No…you're incorrect."

I can't help but snap back at him. "Excuse you, but I've been living in my body for 29 years! Someone who hasn't even been on this planet for two has no right to tell me what I am and what I'm not!" I scoff caustically. "As if _you_ would know." Once more, I focus back onto the necklace with a huff, even when I hear another shift.

Just as I finished screwing in the last nail to finish my adjustments, a hand smashes itself onto hand, sending everything crashing down from my desk and producing a large crack through the metal surface. I scream in surprise to all of my belongings being suspended in the air instantaneously. "Don't turn away from me while I'm speaking to you, and don't you dare speak to me with such semantics!" Vegeta sibilates furiously. The clangs of my materials hitting the floor almost drown out the Saiyan's voice, and a shooting pain is shot up my wrist and hand.

"The hell is wrong with you?!" I scowl at him, pulling at my hand a bit. "Why'd you do that?!"

Vegeta doesn't answer, just stares at me with one of my hands trapped under his arm still splayed on the desk. He grinds his teeth in frustration to my previous words. "Why? Why do you respond with such vigor when in front of a man who can do anything he wants to you? Even kill you!" He exclaims. "Where does your boundless confidence come from?!"

I snarl, using my free hand to push at Vegeta's arm to get it to let my other limb escape. Unlike the other times, he doesn't budge, and it's really starting to kill me. Not to mention, the spare pieces of metal that escaped the cohesiveness of the table from Vegeta's slam are piercing my hand further and deeper as we speak. "Maybe because I've always been a willful person. Maybe because I've come face to face with opponents even stronger then you with the intent to murder me in cold blood. Maybe because I've balanced on the tightrope of life and death countless times and still walk on the Earth today. I don't know." I scoff when Vegeta's arm refuses to let, and in fact gets stronger, driving in the piece of metal further into my hand. I see a small red pool gather at my fingers and wince. "I've been in many situations most girls haven't even dreamed of, if not all. If that hasn't done something to harden me, then I don't know what will." I declare, acting nonchalant about the pain he knew he was causing me. "And plus..." I look down to the necklace and observe the dot, which belongs to Goku, near the building at blinding speeds. In seconds, he arrives. He's finally here! "…I've got people to watch my back whenever I'm in a stick situation and can't fight my way out, yeah? When there's an opponent just too strong or a trial just too exhausting, I know I can count on at least _one person _to help me through thick and thin. That, I guess, is also my salvation." Instantaneously, I feel Vegeta's grip get lifted off my body and a pained cry escape from his mouth and his form move away from me. I turn back and see Goku clenching Vegeta's arm, a scowl on his face. That was fast. "See? It doesn't even happen intentionally, and someone will always be there for me." I lift my hand off the table and flip it around, inspecting for any serious damage. I pull the pieces of metal out with almost no hesitation despite how deep they sunk in and fling them into the garbage bag across the room, holding my breath to stop any cries from escaping my mouth. "Goku, you can let go of him. Vegeta didn't do any real harm."

Upon seeing my hand grip my wrist painfully and the blood streaming around my fingers and down my hand, Goku discards Vegeta nonchalantly on the floor and walks up to me cautiously. "Are you alright?" He inquires in a more then serious tone.

I smile, helping Vegeta off the floor. "I'm okay. Vegeta didn't hurt me intentionally. He was just asking me a question and got a bit heated when I didn't answer. This…" I hold my hand up. "…is the unintentional result." Or not so unintentional, but I can't make judgment calls if I don't know what Vegeta's intentions were.

"Are you sure you don't-" Goku tries, a suspicious tone replacing his usually cheery one.

"I'm fine, really. It's nothing a couple of days of recuperation can't fix." Whoa…Bulma, you do realize that a couple of months ago, you would've been crying from the amount of pain this was causing you? I mean, it's definitely agonizing, but for some reason, I discard it like it's nothing serious, in complete insouciance. My blood is practically leaking onto the floor, and all I can think of is "meh." Sheesh, it's amazing what can happen to a person in a matter of two months.

Once Vegeta's on his feet, Goku whips around and glares daggers at him, grabbing his arm once more. "Come with me, _now."_ The man snaps. Is it me, or is Goku…different today? He seems in a sour mood, much more intense then normal. Something must have happened at home. Vegeta, also noticing this, agrees with little to no hesitation to Goku's words.

Heck, even _Vegeta _senses something's different with our cute little monkey boy.

As they walk out, the door slams forcefully from Goku's shove, causing me to widen my eyes at his continued odd demeanor and lack of decorum today. Not to mention how tardy he was, in the first place, and his overall attitude…Something happened at his house that's got Goku all riled up, and for some reason, "Chi-Chi" is written all over it. Call it a woman's intuition if you will, and I'm hardly wrong about these situations. He couldn't have gotten _that _pissed just because my arm got unintentionally cut during a conversation.

I can't dwell on the matter much longer, because I hear a small amount of screaming from Vegeta and a raise in tone from Goku, who doesn't resort to bellowing to make a point usually. I did notice that his voice, however, was a bit rough and hoarse when he came in, which points to the fact that he was yelling earlier in the day. Now that I think of it, that's something I've never heard of. Goku will only actually scream if something serious was going on.

More evidence that something happened.

Goku slams the door open causing me to yelp, with Vegeta scowling behind him in the hallway, muttering something like 'Kakarot, what the fuck is wrong with you?'. "Let's go, Bulma." He gave no time for me to disagree, snatching up my arm in his hand, opening my mouth with his other and shoving a senzu bean in. Immediately, the pain from my wrist dissolves. Then, he grabs my bag and jumps out the window with me in tow, inciting a cry from my mouth. He lands with a thump on Kito'un and sits down, cascading me down forcefully on his lap, in which I yelp in surprise to his abrupt, powerful movements. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulls me into him fiercely, making a gasp explode from my lips from slight pain. I'm hurt by the velocity of which my back slams into the Saiyan's chest, but decide not to bring it up and take it for the sake of Goku. I know he's merely doing this to make sure I don't fly off Kito'un, but I believe there are…gentler ways of doing so.

The ride passes on in silence. Goku makes it by not uttering a word or making any effort to. One thing peculiar, however, is that his grip around my waist gets increasingly more intense when his breathing hitches and shudders, but then both go back to normal. It's obvious he was thinking of something, most definitely the key to why he's acting so oddly, and doing so was hurting him. This continues throughout the whole ride there.

When we arrive at our designated training spot, however, he curtly jumps off Kito'un, and once we landed, discards me quickly and nonchalantly.

I stumble a bit across the grass before I lose my footing and crash to the floor with a skid. Residing on my knees, I look back at Goku, who's turned away from me and glare at him. "What was that for?!" I bite.

"Get up so we can start." Goku remarks, merely ignoring my question. I scowl.

First he's squeezing me tightly and shuddering with me in his embrace, the next he's throwing me on the floor and ignoring me.

Brilliance.

"…Alright then." I murmur, standing up and brushing the grass off my knees, wincing a bit when I hit skinned epidermis. Pfft, I'm getting pretty hurt today, aren't I? I smile warmly, trying to put on a pleasant attitude to counter Goku's and reach equilibrium. "So, what's my warm up?"

* * *

Well, that was challenging.

Not the warm-up. Nah, that was bearable.

But the attitude Goku gave me throughout the whole damn thing nearly cracked my attempt to be civil.

All I had to do was run 30 laps, and then I'd be done with my practice for today. Then I could get on to other things. Honestly, I could do it now without charging up energy, and within a bearable time too. But let me tell you, it's hard to when a certain man's basically staring down your throat and berating you if you lose speed during any moment of the exercise. Not exactly rewarding, and certainly out of character for Goku. I still wonder what could've happened that staged such a switch of character on him.

Sitting on the ground and sipping from my water bottle, it's hard to ignore Goku's eyes boring into my back like he doesn't have anything better to do. I understand that his attitude is not because of me, but it's still unnerving when a guy like _Goku _acts like this. I wipe some sweat from my forehead. Placing my water bottle down on the grass, I look at the man and tilt my head, awaiting orders if I were to ask them. "So what-"

"Get up and prepare for our next training activity."

"Um…okay." I murmur. "What're we doing next?"

He waits until I'm completely up. "We'll be working mainly on combat today." I perk my ears at this. "We've been focusing on it for a little bit so you have the basics down, I assume."

"Y-Yeah, I gue-"

"Then let's begin." I slit my eyes at his interruption. "Come at me."

"W-What…?! Come at _you?!" _I look over Goku, his size and stature that of a monster and his confidence even larger, both giving him massive advantages. Not to mention his boundless experience that my two months of training could never hope to defeat. There's no way I could take on someone like him! "But I…I'd never win!"

"Relax Bulma. I'm not actually going to go hard on you." He turns around and mutters something sarcastically. I raise my eyebrow. "I'm wearing heavier weighted clothes then before and I'll make sure not to go seriously so you won't get too hurt."

_Too hurt, huh? _"…I guess." I adopt my fighting position, the one I've developed over the months, laced with a curt sigh. Placing my right foot in front, I hold my right arm out and bend towards me at a 90-degree angle. My left foot's behind and my left arm's protecting my face. Finally, I crouch my body just a bit to give myself better balance and huff to Goku that I'm ready. He too, adopts his pose.

"Well then…Come at me."

"I attack first?!" I exclaim. Goku shakes his head in disbelief.

"Just come on already. You need to have an offensive edge if you wish to beat any opponent. I won't attack this time, alright?" I swallow my saliva.

"O-Okay." I know what to do already. I close my eyes and begin channeling ki throughout my body, giving all of my senses an extraordinary boost. Opening my eyes with a slight growl, I'm enveloped by the familiar blue tinge of my eye-sight and stare intensely at Goku. I take a deep breath of air. "Ready."

Goku, upon seeing my attitude switch and the blue ki floating around my body, can't help but show a small smirk on his lips. "Then go."

I comply.

With a battle cry, I jump off the floor and stretch my right hand behind me. When I near Goku's body, I slam down the side of my palm for a neck chop, but unfortunately my opponent catches my wrist and chucks me back down on the floor. I hiss while standing up and dash towards him again. At what I consider to be blinding speeds, I throw my hands in the proper form of a punch at Goku's chest multiple times, but he uses his hands once more to block every attack. In retaliation, I flip backwards then spring off the floor once more with a growl. Stretching my foot from behind me, I lash the limb across Goku's face for a swift kick, feeling it collide with something, causing me to smirk. However, the limb I hit was Goku's arm. He once more grips my legs and I'm thrown to the floor again.

I skid on my knees across the grass and rocks beneath for a little, before I whip my head up and scowl at Goku. "You said you weren't going hard on me! I used my ki enhancement and I still couldn't touch you!"

"You were telegraphing your attacks, Bulma. You're using too much movement and therefore letting me practically foresee all of your attacks."

I clench at the grass and whisper to myself. "Too much excess movement…? I'm too predictable?"

"Yes, Bulma. Not to mention, because of the ki you charged in your body, whenever you try to attack me, detectable energy flares up in whichever limb you're going to use next. You need to fine a way to come around that." Hmm…well, strategy is my forte, so why don't I use that to gain advantage? "…Alright then!" I exclaim, renewed with energy. I've got a plan!

"Start again." Goku replies with what it seems to be little interest. Hah! We'll see who's uninterested after this.

Once more, I adopt my battle position, waiting for Goku to do the same. As soon as he's ready, I manipulate my ki to power up my legs, leaving Goku raising his eyebrows at my predictably then shrugging, muttering something like 'It's your stratagem.' He signals to me that he's ready.

Like before, I press my feet powerfully against the floor and propel my body off at blinding speeds. Charging at his front, I prepare my body to look like I'm about to kick Goku, and see his hands raise up to prevent something like that from happening. However, just when I reach him, I slide under his legs, charge up my ki to my arms quickly, and with no wasted time, attempt to land my left arm in a harsh elbow into the Saiyan's back. Goku, taken off guard, whips around and messily blocks my attack with his arm with a grunt. Unfortunately for him, he forgot my other hand.

His face clearly in view and the hand used to protect his countenance holding back my weaker left hand, I pull my right hand back, retreat the energy from my left and into my other one, and slam it into Goku's face. He hastily and sloppily blocks this as well, leaving me scowling but with another idea. To make it look like I'm trying to escape from his grasp, I use a tiny bit of energy to power up my arms once more, but keep a massive amount of ki near my legs, ready for use whenever I call upon it. As soon as Goku looks like he's going to chuck me to the floor again, I leap off the ground, with my hands still in the Saiyan's possession, let loose the held ki near my legs to power them up, and land a vicious drop kick into the man's chest. Unfortunately, doing so causes me to crash on the floor because of my lack of experience with such a move and it's mechanics.

His body is sent flying quite a while, before he regains his footing and skids his feet sloppily against the ground. I quickly get up off the grass and dirt, scowling a bit when I see a large green stain on my shirt and a bruise forming on my leg. No time for that, though. Turning to me, Goku gapes. "How the…? How did you manage to pull that off?!"

I told you he'd be interested.

I grin. "It's simply strategy, combined with using your confidence against you. It's quite easy considering how arrogant you Saiyans are." Dusting off my body and breathing out a bit heavier then usual, my smirk grows. "I noticeably charged up some ki in one area to distract you and held the majority of the energy by the place I planned to actually attack you with. A basic diversion and distraction tactic the most basic of strategists should know." I whisper my next words under my breath. "That'll teach you to take me seriously."

"I…I see. I'll make sure not to make such a mistake again." I scoff at his certainty. Where did that lead him before? Oh right, _my two goddamn feet landing right in his abdominals._ "Plus, don't let your successful attack get to your head. Understand that I'm holding back massively, okay?"

"Fine, fine. I'll make sure not to let that slip my mind."

"Alright then. Remember, I learn from my mistakes, and you're still being extremely predictable if you think that's all it takes to beat an experienced fighter."

Hah! Or so he thinks. Let's see if he can tell which course of action I'll take, and not to mention the multitude of surprise attacks I can launch with the environment around me. "Got it." I murmur.

"Oh, and one more thing. I'll be attacking this time." Kami help me.

"…Mkay. Go easy on me."

"That's the plan."

In a second, we both blast off our staring places and charge for each other instantaneously. I reside on the floor, and once I near Goku's body, he jumps up to the sky at a moderate height and stays there, floating. It'll be stupid to follow him. I know he's more suited to this situation, fighting in the air, then I am, and not to mention the overwhelming advantage he has of being able to fly. I have to get him to the floor once more.

Which means, foolhardy or not, I'm following him up.

Charging up ki in my legs, I take a powerful leap off the ground and go well above Goku, leaving him stuttering in confusion. I find difficulty in balancing and maintaining control in the air, and soon find myself hurtling to the floor. Well, I can't actually land an attack, eh, so I might as well use the velocity of my plummet in an basic but effective offensive gesture. Before I hit the grass, I stretch my legs down and slam them in Goku's back, causing him to hurtle down with me. He lands gracefully on the grass with nothing less then a mere sigh, while I touch down incorrectly, resulting in a slight pain up my leg that gets more intense as time goes on, an audible groan escaping from my lips. But Goku's on the floor, and that's what matters.

Without giving me time to recover, however, Goku rushes forward and stretches his hand out for a slap. Splayed on the floor, I quickly recover to my feet (Much to the chagrin of my injured limb) and bring my hands out in a block. Unfortunately, as soon as his hand hits mine, my so-called "defense" is shattered, and his palm connects with my cheek. I'm sent flying back a couple of feet from the impact, proof that Goku wasn't fighting at even 5% of his strength (Normally, I would've crashed through at least 6 mountains or somethin'.). Alright then. Time for a different tactic.

Spitting out some blood from a cut on my mouth (Of which should've had me complaining about my plump lip being scraped, but find it not to be any of my main concerns.), I sprint up to Goku and jump over his head, using the same move I did to Vegeta earlier in the day, grasping his neck. Flipping around, using my flexibility as a plus, I slam the Saiyan's head into the grass, and with a battle cry, sling my foot forward to collide with his face. Before it does, however, Goku disappears from sight and reappears behind me. He grabs my arms and with a grunt, tosses me towards a tree with frightening speed. However, I wouldn't be going down so easy.

Praying I could do this right, since I've seen Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo do it effortlessly, I expel the energy in my arms and place it in my legs, flip so my feet are slammed against the trunk of the tree, and drive myself off the surface. Using this velocity, I bring my arm back in a fist, charge it up with ki once more, and slam it into Goku's face, this time connecting.

His guard low and holding back, he actually groans a little bit and cascades well over 20 meters from the epicenter of the collision point. I smirk, managing the weight on my injured foot as to not damage it more. "How's that for 'predictable'?!" I scream with a huff.

"You're still telegraphing." Comes from behind me.

"…Shit!"

I'm splayed on the floor, panting out my guts and ready to vomit.

Groaning, I place an ice pack onto my head and press it in deep, muttering about the pain in my _everything. _"Worst four hours…of my fucking life." I mutter in between breaths.

We sparred for…as you're guessing…four hours_. _Oh but not just four hours. Four hours_ straight. _

No distractions, no interruptions, no _nothing._

Breaks? Who needs them?!

Water? Nah, just refill with your sweat!

Medical care? It's fine, you can fight through it!

Exhaustion? Once your opponent falls, so can you!

Basically, I was following_ Goku's_ normal ways of training, which seem to have gotten harsher over the past day (Though his overall demeanor has settled down a bit.) and did a pretty goddamn horrible job of it. I mean, I was able to land a good many shots in during the beginning, but when our obvious difference in endurance started showing through and he started cranking up the heat on me, it's not hard to say I was pitifully outmatched in every aspect there was. Even by using my cunning strategies, Goku's mere brawn matched out every plan I could think of.

I only threw up, like, 3 times after, so I guess that's an improvement.

The fatigue from such an exercise is excruciating, not to mention the plethora of injuries I've sustained drag me down further into the pool of my own pity. And Goku, being the guy who finds training in everything, said I was not to have a senzu bean until I could deal with the pain. Then, he backed up his claim saying that you wouldn't have time to get a senzu bean from someone on the battle floor and had to fight through your injuries. I guess it makes sense, but he has to remember that today was my first actual battle. Sure, I've practiced moves and fighting a bit over the past few weeks, but I haven't actually gotten to apply it since today. He could knock down the difficulty on me once in a while.

"Goku…um…what…what time is it?" I ask hesitantly. I've been on the floor, resting through my injuries well over 30 minutes, and the pain wasn't getting better. I want to pop a bean in my mouth, fly to my building, eat the cake and hopefully inquire what's caused Goku to act so weird, and then sleep.

Oh, glorious, wonderful sleep.

The Saiyan's all the way across the field, getting in some running time to strengthen his already boundless endurance when he hears my request. He looks down at his necklace and sighs. When he peers up, however, there's a determined gleam in his eyes, one that has me questioning what's up. He makes his way up to me, and I fix myself up in a sitting position with much effort. I crack my dry lips apart to ask what's up.

However, I don't need to inquire, as he opens his mouth, plops down besides me, and speaks before I could. "…I heard what you did to Vegeta today."

Taken aback, I bite my lip in embarrassment. "R-Really? Well, what about it-"

"I was quite disappointed."

"…What…?"

"Bulma, I trusted that you were smart enough to avoid doing something stupid like that." Don't tell me…this was the reason he was so stoic regarding me?!

I slit my eyes in confusion. "W-What do you mean? I didn't hurt him or anything-"

"No, but he could've hurt you! Kill you, even! " Goku bites. "Do you understand who he is, Bulma? The fact that he's joined our team doesn't change that he's vastly more powerful then you, even after all of our training!"

"But it's not like I attacked him head on! I was joking, Goku! I didn't-"

"Bulma, to us trained individuals, all attacks are signs of an offensive gesture. If you weren't a woman, Vegeta would've killed you then. He even said it multiple times during our little…talk. Do you understand how angry he was?!" I look down to the floor, pouting as Goku's objurgating continues on. "Bulma, look at me." I do so immediately with a slight flinch. "You can't just go around and exercise what you've learned on people like _him_. I know this is rather rude, but… a woman's strength can never compare to a man's naturally. You saw a perfect example of that today, which is why I did such an exercise. Sure, your brain and cunning got you pretty far for your first day, but in the end, it all comes down to two opponents bashing themselves on the head until one faints. It's almost impossible for you to win. Vegeta could've killed you if he wanted too."

I shake my head. "But if all of this is true…then why are we doing this?" I mutter.

"I don't know. You were the one who decided to do such a thing, remember?"

"…I just don't understand." I murmur, laying back onto the grass. "What do I have to do to match up with all of the group's strength? I was so happy when I landed attacks on you, but only to find out they did nothing. And what about my joy when I pulled my maneuver off on Vegeta?! It made me feel like I was…you know, _going _somewhere, that I could actually _do _something. But then you have to go off and _worry _about me."

"Bulma…" Goku sighs.

"No Goku…Look…" I turn to him and peer at him with saddened eyes, and within feel the Saiyan's hardened attitude melt. "Everything you're saying is true…I know that Vegeta could've easily killed me then…I knew he wasn't going to do it, per say, but that he had the ability. I just…it's been haunting me, I guess, unintentionally, the fact that all of you guys are so…strong and tough, and I'm just…_meh." _I roll over so my face is in the grass and kick my feet a little bit. "But when I had Vegeta at my mercy, it's like something…I don't know…was unleashed in me. I felt this overwhelming confidence that kept me going throughout the whole scene without batting an eyelash."

"Bulma, look…" He tries.

"Listen to me, Goku." I sit up, facing away from Goku and command him to be quiet. He obliges hesitantly. "I'm doing_ this…" _I point to the terrain and to my arms and legs, which're littered with scars, bruises, scabs, and the occasional open wound._ "…_to help the Earth, not to preserve my life. I need to face dangerous situations or I won't grow. You can't…you can't be worried about my health and safety twenty four seven when soon, in 2 years from now, I'll be up fighting against enemies who'll kill me without a second glance." I flip over to face him once more and stand up with much difficulty, dusting myself off when the challenging plan had been complete. "I appreciate your concern, and I understand you've been in a generally bad mood for whatever conspired before, but you can't…" I sigh, not believing I'm about to say this. "You can't take it out on me. I'm not your emotional punching bag." There you go, Bulma! Thinking about you for once! …Well, in a while, anyway. Goku stands up, bewilderment written on his face.

"I…I haven't…"

"Goku, come on. I've known you for long enough to realize when something's different about you. Give me a little credit, would you?" I walk up to the man and tap him on the shoulder. "You're mad at me for what I did, yes, but that anger of yours is being multiplied by whatever conspired at your residence. Now, I won't ask what's wrong now, but expect interrogation later." I turn around from him and walk to my bag with effort, bending down to open it and place my water bottle inside. Such an action is excruciating in itself. "Now, back to my original question. What time it is?"

He doesn't answer for a while, so I turn around to look at him. However, both him and his stuff are gone from sight. I sigh and lean down, picking up my bag to sling it on my shoulders as I know what's coming next.

And just as I predicted, Goku's arms wrap around my mid section to snuggle me up in his chest, lifting me off the floor and to him with a tight hold around me. Once more, I'm left straddling him, and his hand resides on my rear. Despite expecting this, a slight yelp escapes my mouth. "Late enough." Goku murmurs in my ear. I nod hesitantly.

He jumps off the ground and begins to fly towards the Capsule Corp. within seconds. Like yesterday, it's hard not to revel in the feeling of the wind and the clean air enveloping your face and melting away all the uncertainty and most definitely _pain _I felt today, but before I know it, the racket and bustle of the city come into earshot. I pout in disappointment, but a smile quickly replaces my lips when Goku sighs, and gently pushes his hand on my lips, a senzu bean in between his fingers. I accept it eagerly. Apparently my talk before snapped him to his senses, at least a little bit, of which makes my mood snap up mercurially.

We near the building at a moderate height, around 20 meters, before Goku stops his descend and slows down to a halt. He stays there, obviously considering things, but _I _quickly get bored.

Moreover, that's when I got one of my crazier ideas.

I can't help but giggle.

Taking a bit of a risk versus reward chain of events and certainly drunk on getting some of our little monkey boy back, I spontaneously wriggle out of the vice grip I'm in, inciting a gasp from Goku and leap from his hands, much to his horror (And my delight). I sail down the 20 meters to the roof with evident glee. When my feet collide with the metal flooring, I crouch my body down almost involuntarily so the shock of impact is absorbed into my stance and the floor, and stay stuck in position from the power of the fall for a bit. Recovering quite rapidly, nonetheless, I spring up, lift the bag which has our cake in it mirthfully in the air, and holler to Goku who's merely gawking at me in unreserved disbelief. "You comin' down or what?!"

Eventually he starts processing again, because Goku abruptly breaks out of his state of abeyance and drops to the roof as well. When he's near the metal, however, he halts his plummet and descends into a steady decline so his feet connect with the ground gently. As soon as he's planted firmly, before I know it, he's whipping around to me, his face is contorted into a rare display of anger. He wastes absolutely no time in rushing forward and grabbing my shoulders, towering over me and berating me. "I can't believe this! Are you stupid?!" I shake my head no, grinning. "Bulma, do you know what you just did?!"

I can't help but smirk, breaking out of the man's grasp and pulling out two plates from my bag, as well as the cake already cut into pieces. "Yeah, I'm pretty much aware. You usually don't leap from peoples' arms when you're high enough to fall to your death on accident, now do you? …Or is it the other way around?"

Goku takes a curt step over, causing me to back up slightly even if I'm generally happy, clicking his tongue and eyeing me. "Bulma, that wasn't safe in any definition of the word! You really shouldn't do things like that for no reason whatsoever!"

I giggle and put a piece of cake on Goku's plate, holding it out for him. He merely stares at it. "Come now, what do you mean for "no reason whatsoever"? Haven't you ever heard of "arbitrary cause"?" He grumbles a bit and snatches the plate from me, inciting a laugh from my mouth. "I guess Chi-Chi's finally rubbing off on you, huh?" I playfully poke.

He jerks wildly, growling at the name before he slits his eyes menacingly, his mouth forming into a snarl.

Well…someone pick up the phone, cause I called it! So Chi-Chi's the reason he's being so odd today? Or am I just crazy?

Thumping down onto the roof, he mumbles inconstantly and forms a small glare on his eyes, leering at the ground beneath him. "…Just shut up about Chi-Chi, would you?"

…Uh…

No. No, I definitely called it.

As soon as I hear this, I'm immediately snapped out of my mordant mood. I quickly flip the other slice of strawberry cheesecake mercurially onto my plate and sit down besides Goku, observing his face, worried. I guess now's the time to question what's up. "Is…is there something wrong, Goku? I've never seen you so...uptight and solemn before. Did…Did something happen today at your house…?" He sighs and places the piece of cake on the floor besides him, avoiding my question. I tilt my head and rest a hand on his shoulder. "Is it about the Chi-Chi remark? I'm sorry, I didn't realize that it hurt that badly."

Still nothing.

"Um, do you want to let some things go? Cause I could do that with you if you need it."

He doesn't reply.

"Hello? Goku? Can you answer me?"

Once more, I'm met with silence.

"Mad…? Are you angry at me…?"

It's quiet.

"…Well then." I conclude. "If my presence is bugging you to the point of not speaking, then I'll be over there so you can breathe." I curtly stand up and turn for where I left my bag, taking a good couple of steps.

However, before I'm able to get there, Goku's large hand wraps around my wrist forcefully and pulls me back down onto the floor with an ugly thump, an obvious act of rebellion to my words. "Stay here." He commands. I don't know whether he's trying to make a point or just wants me close, but due to the shaking of his hand as it grips mine, I deduce it's the latter. My piece of cake tumbles of my plate and ultimately to its doom off the roof due to the Saiyan's tug, but I can only stare at Goku, worried.

"Are you…sure you're alright, Goku? Once more, I'm sorry-"

He interrupts me before I can finish, gazing at the floor intently. "No, _I'm_ sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that nor treat you the way I've done so during the whole day of training." I tilt my head to the side and turn his face gently with my hand so he looks at me. He turns around fully so he can face me after I do that. "I've been having many conflicts with Chi-Chi and I would appreciate it if you didn't compare me with her nor bring her name up."

I pout. "…Would…would you like to talk about it or somethin'…?"

"That…that would be helpful." He murmurs. I'd do anything to make sure he's his happy, enthusiastic self again. I need a blast of his radiance daily, and the lack of it really kills me. He needs it, and I need it. "See, it had something to do with a trip to the mountains I was planning to invite you on, with Gohan, me, Piccolo, and another guest whom I won't say now."

"A…A trip? I don't have time for such trivial matters!" Not to mention the mystery guest which puts me a bit on the edge. "Goku, I have to stay here and train-"

"Don't worry, Bulma! It's a training trip." He laughs a bit, and I can't help but smile. I'm getting him back already.

"Um…How long will it be?"

"A couple of months, possibly more if required."

"…So…alright then. I'll come." I shrug my shoulders. "Continue." Comes my murmur.

Before he continues, he tugs at my hand gently, and I get the gesture that he's trying to send. I slowly inch towards him until our arms are touching each other, a sign of forgiveness that he's trying to display, and latch our fingers together so he's not only grabbing my wrist. "Well, I had to bring the suggestion to my wife before I could do anything, right?" I nod, a bit saddened at the word 'wife'. "Chi-Chi wasn't…um…pleased with the decision to bring you along, and…uh…resisted strongly. I went against what she said for once, and then we just kinda…er…you know…exploded."

I stay silent for a bit, formulating whether or not he's telling the full truth. Those "um's" and "er's" do much to prevent a man's lie to borne fruit. "…Hey now, what's with all the hesitation? Did she say something's you're not telling me about?" I inquire.

"Oh, um, no! Of course not!" He shakes his head with a smile a little too bright, even for him. "She just didn't think that…we should bring more people then necessary because of space issues. You see, she doesn't know about your training, and-"

"Cut the crap, Goku. Tell me what she really said, _now_." I snap.

Goku turns to me, flummoxed, eyes widened and mouth open in an "o". His face, nonetheless, slowly morphs into a true smile, something I thought I would die from not seeing in the previous 24 hours. "…I…I can never get anything past you, eh Bulma? I should expect nothing less from our own little genius."

"Or from _your_ first and best friend. You know, whichever one matters more to you. Now out with it."

"I…I'd rather not, Bulma, so I'm afraid this time I'm gonna have to refuse for your own sake."

For _my _sake? That merely incites my desire to know. But I'll drop it for now. "…Fine. So, was it the argument you had that put you in such a foul mood?" I wonder.

"No…not really." I tilt my head. "Not the rejection part, anyways. I'm bringing you along no matter what Chi-Chi says." I'm recoil slightly and stare at the man, perplexed. Then what is it that has his boxers all tied up in a knot? "It's what she said during the argument that got me riled up, and therefore how I acted that kinda broke me. Once more, I won't spare you the details, but her words were enough to make me snap. I rebuked against her…" He stays still for a bit. "I made her _cry, _Bulma. I made her _cry _and I didn't feel any remorse for it! Even now!" He shakes his head. "It's so unlike me…I was always told that if I made a woman cry, then I should always try and make it better, because I should care about her wellbeing. And I always have!" Once more, he turns away from me. "But then Chi-Chi started spitting insults and…and I couldn't hold my ideals true to myself anymore. I screamed and bellowed at her, and I didn't feel anything as each tear streamed down her face."

"…You yelled at her and felt no remorse? That's why you've been in a horrible attitude?" Oh _god, _do I feel guilty. Goku and Chi-Chi had a fight over me?

"Well, kinda. And not only that, but I was thinking pretty hard. I thought if I can't hold my morals in front of one woman, my own wife, then how can I predict I won't do the same to you? I was already in such a bad mood because of the argument, but my pondering and thought process on the way to your house and to our training spot made me realize that I…I don't deserve someone like you."

"Uh…you had an argument with Chi-Chi, and then you felt as if you didn't deserve _me? _Goku, are you sure you're alright?" Honestly confused, I scratch the back of my head. This is getting to be a bit ridiculous.

"I mean…what if some of the insults she said about you actually come to my mind in hope of being a possibility? What if that happens?! I could never look-"

"…Wait…what?! She insulted me?" I emulate.

"…Shoot! …I…I let that slip, didn't I." I shake my head in the affirmative.

"Unfortunately for you, fortunately for me. What did she say, Goku? What could she have said about me that would rile you up so much?!"

"Just…Just insults, Bulma. Please don't make let me spare the details. I've already hurt enough people today."

I shake my head. "Goku, I thought you should know me by now. You really think I'll let some petty words even _scrape _the surface of my defenses? Come on, I can take more then a beat down from your wife."

"B-But…what if you come to confront her and then she insults you-"

"Goku…did you agree to marry her?" I inquire softly.

"Well…y-yes, but-"

"And is she your wife?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then I could never hate her, no matter what she does or says to me. I have confidence in you that you chose the best woman out there, okay?"

"…Bulma, that's not what I-" He tries.

"And I respect the differing emotions that you feel for the both of us, as well as why you don't want me to hate her. It's alright, really, I know you love her and I won't do anything to disrupt that."

"But I don't-"

"Well, you love her as much as you can, anyway. I don't think someone like you could process _too _much romance, eh?" I try to poke as a joke. However, Goku remains in that same trance as before. "So it would make sense as to why-"

"Bulma, listen to me!" He bellows. Immediately, I'm silenced. Unable to produce words, I watch him hesitating, before his next sentence comes out with a conviction I haven't heard from him before. "Chi-Chi may be my wife, but what I feel for her is not certain. Yes, I love her as I do all of you, but you must understand me. I wish _you _made that promise in my childhood. I wish that I married _you."_

…

…!

…What…?

…_What?!_

"I mean…you're so strong, so willful, so brave and enchanting, and not to mention beautiful…" I blush heavily at the last part. There it is again! Goku, picking up on beauty! "…And yet so caring, forgiving, and kind. I understand that you have your occasional fit of vanity, of which the frequency has seriously dropped since we started training, but that's a small price to pay for the rest of you."

I feel like I'm about to faint.

Holy _shit, _is Goku actually saying this?! Is this what I think it is? Have we finally gotten to the point where Goku…_loves me?! _

I need to know. I need to get this one thing straight or I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. "But…you still think of me as a friend…?"

"I…um…" He trips over his words, and my eyes widen to his hesitation. Each passing second causes my heart to beat faster and heavier. He's considering it! He's actually considering it! When his mouth opens, everything in my body freezes, awaiting his answer.

"…Yes, I suppose so."

"…Ah."

…I…should've known.

My heart sinks down back into the cave it's been in for a while, my mind filling up with anger and regret for my own actions as soon as Goku's finished with his reply. How could I even _think _something so stupid?! Goku? Love _me?! _It's completely out of the question! He can preach and remark on how 'amazing' I am and how 'close' he regards me, but when it comes down to it, he doesn't actually _love _my essence as a person. I'm a friend to him, and I probably always will be. With a son like Gohan, a steady living style like his own, and a sometimes-difficult wife like Chi-Chi, his life is settled.

Why…? Why have I convinced myself over the months that it's not like that?! How could I be so _stupid _and _ignorant?!_

Well, it doesn't matter what's happened in the past. I've made up my mind, and I now know what I have to do. This time, I won't let my defenses crumble like I have over the months. This time, the fortress around my heart is secured firmly together, and no one will undo those bonds, even _him_. Goku was hurt today because of our relationship. Because I've grown closer to him, Chi-Chi's gained skepticism regarding me, and has unleashed such a thing on the man in front of me. Even _she _ended up getting hurt. I know this, but I revere such a hypothesis to be true.

But now, it's time to do the right thing.

This 'relationship' of ours is hurting Goku and Chi-Chi and devastating me. So what are the reasons for keeping it intact in the same way? It's about time I took control like always, using my brilliant mind instead of my weak heart, and do something that would prevent all of us from breaking down. This time, I have to push him away _for real._

"…I…I told you a day ago, did I not, Goku? If you merely think of me as a friend, then these are things you should not be saying to me." I almost forcefully rip my hands out of his and stand up, flipping away from the man on the floor before he can do anything. From the corner of my eye, I see him look up at me in confusion and bewilderment. "You've got a wife, who even if she can be difficult at times, loves you, and a son who looks up to you and aspires to follow in your footsteps. You can't just…discard that. You should be more aware of who you are and where you stand in your relationships when you speak to me as a friend. You're _married_. Don't talk about someone being a better wife if you won't want to end such a thing." I hesitate. "And you know what…? I think…I think you should go now."

"What…?! Bulma, why-"

I clench my facial features, trying to prevent even a modicum of diffidence or sorrow from overcoming my face. I should've known this would've never worked. I should've known since the day of the necklace-bestowing, the day of my epiphany, that I would only hurt myself from letting my idolatry for Goku grow. And now, it's merely just the beginning, and this situation has already come to bite me in the ass. I gather up the plates from the floor and place them in my bag. Collecting the rest of my materials, I put the bag on my back. "I'll say it again. I think it's about time that you go home and I get inside, yeah?"

"But Bulma, we haven't even watched the sunset yet-"

"You've got a family to take care of at home, don't you? I as well have a mother and father to greet and machines to build. I'd appreciate it if you left now."

"Bulma, I-"

"I'm sure you have dinner waiting at home anyway. Chi-Chi is a good cook."

"Would you stop-"

"And Gohan definitely would miss you by now. I'm sure he's just waiting for you to arrive."

"Bulma, stop interrupting-"

"Come on already. You have a long way back."

"Enough-"

"Goku, _go home."_

"_Bulma, listen to me, goddamnit!"_

"No, Goku, you listen to _me_!" I whip around at glare at him. "I'm not in the mood for arguments right now! I want you to go home and apologize to Chi-Chi right away! Even if you're not in the wrong, I know what it feels like to love someone who unintentionally hurts you! Go home, now!"

"…No! No, I'm not going home. I'm not doing such a thing!"

"…Excuse me?!" I bellow. I don't know where this wave of anger is coming from, but deduce it to probably be my body letting out its frustration for itself. "And why not-"

"We haven't watched the sunset! We haven't even finished eating our cake! We haven't settled things between us! Bulma, I demand to know what's wrong with you!"

"You…you wouldn't understand! You'll never understand!" I shake a little bit as I scream. Of course he wouldn't. He's never had an unrequited love to a married woman whose husband loves his guts, am I right? "You've always had people chase after your heels and love you regardless of what you do! Any sane person in any galaxy doesn't dislike you! You make friends out of enemies and never stop making people smile! You've got it all! How do you…?!" I bite my lip harshly, drawing some blood, of which is salty on my taste buds. "…How do you think Chi-Chi feels…?! Knowing that practically the kindest person on the planet actually got mad at her?! In her eyes, she sees this differently from us! In her eyes, it looks like all she's doing is trying to make things right, and you simply retaliate against her!" I pivot away from him once more, all of my vim and vigor ripped from my body. This time, he doesn't turn me around again. "I…I understand that you have qualms with her because she insulted me, but…she's still a person with a heart, Goku! She's still a human being with feelings!"

"And the fact that she insulted you…the fact she said you're a tramp, that you're good for nothing…that you don't belong with us, that you're a waste of space…the fact she said such things means nothing?!" I flinch at every insult. Chi-Chi actually said that about me?

Nonetheless, I guess some things could be true.

"…If…if there's reason behind it, then no! Of course it doesn't mean nothing! Whatever she says to me, I'll take it to heart and try to make that aspect better! Not everything she says about me is false, I'm sure!" I clench my hands roughly to the side, gritting my teeth.

"What the…?! Are you goddamn serious, Bulma?!"

"Well, in her eyes, in most of the group's eyes, I've done nothing to help in a fight, nothing to actually defeat a strong opponent or step outside of my danger zone! I've actually been nothing but dead weight, even now!"

"…Stop it! Stop saying such things! You're not a waste of space! You're not dead weight!" He snaps back. His confidence in my abilities is almost appalling.

"Of course I am! That's why I'm training, goddamnit! To overcome my weakness, right?! Face it, Goku, I'm pretty much useless until I can actually fight in a battle!" I scream back.

"So you're going to take what Chi-Chi said about you and believe it?!"

"It's true, is it not?! And she's a human being! I can't just discard the things she says because I don't like them!"

"You're contradicting yourself, Bulma! Why do you…?!" He hesitates. Abruptly, he rushes forward to me, clenches onto the back of my shoulders, and using his superior strength to smash my resistance, flips me around to face him. I yelp. "Why?!" He yells as he shakes me back and forth and I flinch at his harsh tone. "I don't understand! Why do you always think about others?! Why can't you be selfish for once?!" He clenches his vice grip on my shoulders harder. "Why do you beat yourself down, concluding that _you're _the reason why Chi-Chi is like this?! And don't even deny that you weren't thinking that!" He bites his lip. "Why can't you just _consider _what's best for _you?!"_

"…W-What?!" I can't help but utter. "What makes you think I haven't?!"

He growls a bit, staring at me with his intense, dark eyes, of which're clenched harshly. "You…you care for a girl whom even after knowing you and interacting with you for years curses your name and beats you down! Is that not proof enough?!"

"That 'girl' is your _wife, _Goku! That's why!" I bellow. "You married her for a reason, right?! How can I openly berate her when I don't even know what I've done to her _and_ she's married to you?! It's insulting to both of-" I try.

"Bulma, she's my wife because of a stupid promise! It doesn't mean I like her more then you!" He shakes me harder.

"So what?! As long as you're in matrimony, I must respect what's going on between you and keep myself in control when I'm around your presence! It's common protocol! And since you're not familiar to what's a romantic gesture and what isn't, it's up to me to make sure you don't step out of line!" _Even though I want you to._

"What, so you have to monitor me to avoid incurring the wrath of Chi-Chi?! Are you-"

"No, Goku! I need to monitor you so _you _don't experience it! This is all for you, do you understand?! I don't deserve such-"

"And there we go again! What don't you deserve?!" He clenches his teeth together with vigor. "Where's that vain, self-centered girl I'd come to know and adore?! Where is she?! Where has your entire mountain of confidence gone?!"

"I started to _think, _Goku! I started to realize how _deluded_ my self-confidence was and made sure to change that! And this isn't what we're talking about, goddamnit! Don't change the subject!"

"So, what, you're going to let Chi-Chi beat you down and then try to help her?! Is that your master plan?!"

"…Is that a bad thing?! Forgive me if I'm trying not to hate your wife!"

Goku scoffs. "Maybe in theory, but not in practice!"

"Once more, what does that matter?! If you don't like the marriage that much, then why don't you just end…!" I stop myself, understanding what I was about say was way out of line.

Goku, however, doesn't pick up on it. "Does it matter what she says about you?! Isn't it bad enough she retorted something horrible against you when 10 days ago she was dinning in your house with your family?! Does that not occur to you at all?!"

I freeze immediately.

"Do you understand how cruel and mean that is?! Do you see how unbelievable it is now?!" Goku coughs a bit but continues on with the same intensity. "Do you comprehend my rage?! How can she come into your house, eat your food, talk with your parents and friends, and then turn around and spit venom at everything that you are and have become?! How can you not let that faze you?!"

"I…I don't…It doesn't…" I can only utter, my eyes welding up with tears at Goku hitting the head on the nail. His words start to process into my mind, but I can only think of what I must have done to make Chi-Chi dislike me so. How horrible of a person must I be for her to do that… to _say _such things…? "…Of course…of course it hurts, Goku. Of course it's occurring to me. It's hitting me like tidal waves of lava, but…if there's a possibility, even if it's a small one, that you love her, then there's no way I can't be so selfish and come between your relationship with that person…" I wriggle out of his grip as best as I can, breaking free after a couple of seconds. "…Please…please, just _go, _Goku. Let me be alone for a day. _Please_."

He stays silent for a bit, watching me shudder and beg for his absence. It takes 2 whole minutes before he's able to reply. "…I…I don't understand. What…what has caused this in you? You were fine throughout training, and…I said one thing and you exploded. Have you been hiding all of your feelings over the past couple of months? Is this the collection of grief I've been making you experience?"

"I…no Goku, it's not your fault…This me finally understanding what I must do to make sure your family is as happy as possible. This is me knowing my duty as your best friend."

"Bulma…I…" He hesitates a bit before coming forward and enveloping me in a warm, sturdy hug. It takes all of my self-constraint not to burst into tears in his arms. I shove my face in his chest to prevent such a thing from happening. "…I don't know how I feel about you, to be honest, but whatever swims inside of my stomach for you is a feeling I've come to love and adore. You're irreplaceable, do you understand me? Stop…stop beating yourself down and process what you actually are in most peoples' eyes. You're a beautiful, brilliant, hardworking, and soon to become strong woman who's captured the hearts of a thousand men. Possibly even mine." I jerk. Except we all know that's not true. "Words like the one's Chi-Chi's used should bounce off your skin like water on oil. Take it from me, the most blunt creature perhaps in the universe, you're quite possibly my favorite person I've come to know. I'm not lying to make you feel better, you know?" I sniffle, my tears held aloof at my eyes. "You're the person who I look forward to seeing as each day passes, the reason through every fight and every battle I struggle through to the end. To make sure that the next day, I can still see that sweet, beautiful smile on your face." I wrap my hands around Goku's large back, clenching them together and biting my bottom lip fiercely. "Please believe me. Please stop putting Chi-Chi on a pedestal and think about how absurd the things she said about you are. You're not worthless. You're neither a tramp nor a waste of space. You're _Bulma, _the world's most beautiful and powerful genius."

I shudder at the compliments, hardly believing that so many good words about me are flowing out from the man's lips. "I…can't…" This is all I'm able to muster.

"I'll leave now to let you gather your thoughts, and we'll leave the cake and sunset to another time. We've already missed the latter anyway, so…" I nod, not saying anything though my mind's screaming a thousand words.

"…As…as you wish." I stutter, trying to maintain myself.

Without a second syllable, he picks up his materials and places them in his bag, turns to me for one last glance, pushes off the roof and begins to fly away to his house in an instant so fast, it's hard to believe he was standing right here a moment ago. However, before he leaves the vicinity of my body completely, he turns around, comes in so close I'd be able to touch him by taking a small step forward, wraps his hands around my face, and plants a kiss on my forehead gently. My eyes widen at such a gesture, but before I'm about to inquire what such a thing meant, he's gone before I know it.

And with that, I snap.

My legs give out immediately, causing me to drop to the floor, shuddering in sorrow and the weight of my situation finally collapsing on me. The tears brought up to my eyes, the ones I've been holding behind for so long finally spill over immediately, blurring my vision and causing me to drown in more self-pity at my weakness. As each wave of salty liquid flows from my eyes, I bend over and slam my head in my hands shakily, wallowing in my own pitiful warmth because I had no one else to supply me with some. Finally, my sobs break through.

_"Why?!"_ I scream to no one in particular, my head in my hands muffling my voice. "_Why did I have to fall in love with him?! Why now?! Why here?! Why not before?!" _I cry harder. "_Why can't fate let him be with me?! Why do I have to care so much about his relationship with his wife?! Why do I have to push him away when he wants to be closer?! Why does he have to be so goddamn lovable?!" _I sob fiercer, and my voice cuts down to a hollow, raspy whisper.

"_Why…after all of my training…after all of my cuts, scars and bruises…after months of toil and hard work…after all of my tears have shed and all of my heart breaks have bled…why…?"_ I let out a last, mangled cry for help.

_"Why am I not stronger…?"_

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**Now Bulma's starting to understand truly what's going on, and she's pretty determined to keep Chi-Chi and Goku together, for the sake of the latter, eh? Unfortunately, she's harming Goku instead of hurting him. Poor thing. **

**Alright then, if you liked it, please review! I hold each of them close to my heart!**


	11. The Patience of a Boy & Drive of a Girl

**Hey all! I'm sorry for being a couple of weeks late with the chapter, but after the America trip, school started. :| **

**I mean like, I'm one year away from the IB course (So tenth grade) and I don't have _that _much work, but I'm also taking medical prep classes because I got into the John Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth and they went all sajdfhlsdfas when they met me.**

**Yeah, I don't know either.**

**So I've got a lot of work, unfortunately, and my update time might have to be extended from one week to two. Hopefully you can understand. **

**Anyway, the America trip was amazing, even if we had to drop my sister off to college. I'm a bit sad about that, but if you want to know details, just tell me~!**

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**Reply to Guest Reviews:**

**Guest 2: **Yes, here's the new chapter! Thank you for your good-being wishes! *Gives all the hearts*

**THE YLORB: **I'm 15. So...I'm not even old enough to _do _those kinds of things, much less _write them! _Sorry about that~! :)

**CutiePie: **Oh my god, thank you so much! Yeah, Bulma's going through a lot, huh? It's just gonna get worse, unfortunately. I'm trying to make this story as realistic as possible and portray what would actually happen if a situation like this were to borne fruit. Once again, thank you so much for your constant support!

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**_IMPORTANT: _There's some harsh language in this chapter and some very slight sexual themes. Please, if this disturbs or offends you, don't carry on.**

_**DISCLAIMER: **_**I do not own the DBZ universe, including characters, places, and ideas. I'm not writing this for profit, merely for enjoyment.**

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**Enjoy! **

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**~CHAPTER 11: THE PATIENCE OF A BOY AND THE DRIVE OF A GIRL~**

**BULMA POV**

It's been a week.

One tough, straining, self-restricting week.

Needless to say, I've been pushing Goku away and monitoring our relationship pretty restlessly since…_that day. _Even through the heart strains and the yearning that my body holds for Goku's smile and touch, I've pressed on as hard as I can and made sure to restrict our relationship growth.

It's just been relatively a challenge considering how persistent Goku's being in making everything alright, however. I think even he's sensed that a change signaled in me after that night and is obviously pursuing our old ways of getting along again, but unfortunately for both of us, it's gonna take _a lot _of coercing to sway my opinion. I mean, I'm doing this for him, right?

I mean, I don't even have to _explain _how things have changed. You just have to see it in action.

And frankly, you can.

Right now, we're all gathered outside of my house, waiting for my dad to finish his adjustments to our aircraft so we can take off to our trip to the mountains. And by "all of us", I mean Piccolo, Gohan, and Mr. Heartthrob himself. And our interactions with each other were more then awkward.

I saunter up to my dad in the garden outside, watching him tinker with the aircraft and possibly to help, but mostly to get away from the overwhelming gaze Goku has fixated on me. Dropping my suitcase onto the grass besides me, I place a hand on my father's grimy shoulder and massage him a bit. He hums at the gesture.

"I'm fine, Bulma my dear." He echoes calmingly. Placing the wrench in his possession down, he glances up to me. "I just finished the aircraft now, in fact, so why don't you run over and tell your friends that, okay?"

I nod hesitantly. "Sure."

Picking up my bag, I turn away from my father and look around to determine whom I should go to. However, instead of directly tackling the task, I see Vegeta make his way out of the door that leads us inside, and walk over to the flower patch in the garden, dropping a bag on the screaming roses and daffodils. Why would he be here?

I make my way over to Vegeta with slight reluctance. Once he senses me coming, his eyes slit and a smirk overcomes his features, an expression which as of a week ago, the day I practically suplexed him from 20 feet above, I've come to familiarize myself with. "What do you want, _Bulma_?"

I notice the use of my name, and _hell no _I'm not gonna let it pass. Forget questioning him for now, this is much more interesting. "You…you just called me by my name!" My sudden exclaim attracted the attention of Goku, who looks over to me concerned. I turn away from him, not giving him a glance out of habit. My heart strains a when I hear his exasperated sigh.

"Ah…It must have slipped my mind. I wonder why?" Vegeta remarks with more interest then usual, but has a knowing tinge at the end of it. I perk my eyebrows.

"This is the first time, right? Hell, the only person you call by his name is Goku, and even then it's a different label then what we're used to. How odd…" I let the last part linger.

He laughs caustically, causing my heart to jump.

He knows something, and he's not telling me what it is. "Well, it's about time I started differentiating between common females and you, yes?"

"Um…And might I ask why…?"

He shakes his head, his smirk growing larger. What's this man's problem? "Playing stupid, eh? As if what you pulled last week didn't prove my hypothesis about what you've been doing with all your time."

I recoil a bit, dread filling my mind. He…he couldn't have _possibly _figured it out! "W-What do you mean-"

Before I'm able to continue, his hand wraps around mine with a vice-grip, and drags me over to a secluded corner in an instant. Before I'm able to escape hastily, he traps me against the two intersecting walls with a slam and leans in close. My breath hitches at the distance between our bodies dwindling down by the second. Vegeta bends down to my ear with his mouth, even letting one of his lips skim my lobe purposefully, and whispers, obviously knowing what doing such a thing does to me. "Oh, you still think I don't know, huh?"

I tense up from his breath on my ear, and shove my hands against his torso to push him away. Unfortunately, it doesn't work, and Vegeta remains stubbornly in place, even inching closer. "I…" I stumble over my words. "I don't know what you're talking about."

When he laughs, I feel every vibration of his chest as if it was my own. I try once more to get Vegeta off, of which is rendered futile. "Do you take me for a fool, Bulma?" There he goes again! "I know you've been training with Kakarot."

I gasp heavily, forgetting my situation and grind my teeth. He figured it out?! How?! I was pragmatic and periodic with all of my decisions and talks with the Saiyan…! Cover it up, Bulma. Make it look like not such a big deal. "…S-So what?! What's the deal with that?!" I snap.

"I'm sure that _wife _of Goku's would find such information quite…important, don't you think?"

I jump away, my back hits the wall fiercely and Vegeta takes a couple steps behind. "You wouldn't…" I conclude dreadfully. Exactly what I was afraid of happening.

He laughs. "No." I slit my eyes. "I find no threat in you, so you're correct. I wouldn't." His mordant chuckle echoes out.

I grind my teeth at the humor he's deriving from this. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure giving me a heart attack is _real _funny." I scowl.

He laughs darkly once more and starts to come forward again. I quickly become uncomfortable and try to slip away, but he's not having it. It doesn't help that I re-trapped myself in the corner before, nonetheless. I resist the urge to kick myself. "You know…" My heart jumps out of fear as his hands reposition themselves to the sides of me. "You're just so enticing…" I choke. I know that, but coming from _Vegeta? _Kami _help me._ "…especially when you're trapped with no way out. Your helplessness is rather tempting..." I gulp when he leans his head in to my neck, and I even feel something close to a bite.

And with _that,_ I deduce that I've had more then enough!

Gathering up ki from my mind, I apply it to my arm until I feel the familiar rush of power, and take a mighty punch at the Saiyan's face, connecting powerfully. He's sent back around three meters, but the gesture only causes his smirk to grow. He skids across the floor, and once regaining his footing, wipes a bit of the blood from off his mouth. "It's _effortless _to get you riled up. One little salacious action from another person, and you expose yourself and your strengths completely." His mordant mood is quickly stripped from him as he says his next words. "You should be careful about that. It might cost you your life on the field."

"What _was _that?!" I snap.

"I was formulating what makes you boil and expose your hand in front of a determined opponent. Not much, yes? Once more, that's a weakness you must get rid of unless you want to die in battle." His all-knowing tone breaks through to me.

I gape at him. "Are you actually _worried _about me?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "I take it you're going to be fighting with us, am I correct?" I can't believe my ears. "Might as well make sure you're not a burden."

"How…How do you know that I'll be good enough to fight alongside you?"

He shakes his head. "Goku assured me plenty about how _'amazing' _you are, and that punch you gave me was actually pretty impressive for a female."

I purposefully ignore the compliment giving to me by Goku. "What do you mean, 'for a female'?! Trust me, when I've trained enough, I'll kick you around the block!"

Vegeta's stare lingers on me. "…I'll be looking forward to that." I frown. What's the man's problem? Where's his usual disregard for me? "By the way, I'll be training you as well."

I choke on the air and flail. "What do you…why?! How?!" I gasp. "You do understand I'll be out of the house for well over two, three months, right?"

He smirks again. "Of course. I'll be coming with you."

…_What?!_

"Are…you…_serious?!" _He nods, the evident smirk still pasted infuriatingly on his lips. "Says who?!"

"Says Kakarot."

I swear to god, I'm going to kill that son of a bitch. "And who gave you the idea of training me?!"

"Who else?"

I pivot around and smash my head into a wall. "Goddamnit Goku."

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**GOKU'S POV**

Waiting by the wall of the outdoor garden leading to where Bulma's father is cleaning up the machine, it's hard not to contemplate what's wrong with his offspring as of late.

It's been a week since Bulma and I had our…argument of some sorts. Ever since then, it's not an understatement to say that she's been avoiding me like I was the plague. And while there are something things she can run away from, which she does, when she's bound by her obligation of training, and therefore isn't able to escape my presence, she…she acts rather distant. It's almost as if she's…actually doing what she said she would, pushing me away from her so Chi-Chi wouldn't get angry, but that would be plain _ridiculous_. I mean, while her reasoning for doing this "goal" would be somewhat noble, it would also be damn stupid to put her feelings and welfare way out in the line of Chi-Chi's fire _and _care about my "wife". I mean, I know the girl's compassionate, even if she doesn't reveal that side of her much, but sheesh. Bulma's gonna end up hurting herself if this continues on.

But as I said before, even _Bulma _wouldn't do such a thing.

Speaking of which, the girl comes over from the corner, Vegeta following after, her forehead slightly red and obviously quite pissed. I tilt my head, wondering what the deal is. She stomps right up to Gohan and Piccolo, eyes twitching, mouth open, speaking unsaid words. "Gohan, Piccolo, the air craft is ready. If you could just go for a minute? I need to talk to our own personal idiot for a bit." She seethes. Piccolo and Gohan alike take a hint and get the hell out of her way, even the Namekian showing a bit of caution around the girl. What can I say? She's practically _oozing _anger.

"Hey Bulma? What's up?" I attempt at a civil conversation.

"Don't '_what's up' _me! I can't believe you told him!" Bulma snaps immediately.

"Told who…?"

"Vegeta! I can't believe you told him that I'm training with you!"

"I…I…uh, well, yes, I did." Her eye twitches, and she comes forward to grasp the collar of my shirt, pulling me down so I'm at her height. I immediately take in the scent of strawberries swarming around her and savor the smell. "Goku…Why did you do that?" She whispers, obviously trying not to attract any attention.

"…I didn't think you'd have such a major problem with it…" I start.

"But…But Goku…the stuff that we're doing was only supposed to be between us, you know?" My heart jumps a little bit at her words. So…she wants to be alone with me during training…?

"Well, I…uh…I thought he would help train you a bit since you're kinda…fixated on ignoring me." I reply quite bluntly. She flinches back, a guilty scowl forming on Bulma's face, but pulls me in again.

"Goku, I…I already told you. This must remain a secret!"

"But I don't understand why. Also, you…you've been running away-"

"Goku, you can't go around and tell people this stuff. The word will spread fast, and other stories will be fabricated. Please keep this to only you and I from now on, alright?" She purposefully ignores my initial response to her question, almost annoying me. But because it's Bulma, I remain composed.

I nod my head in response and Bulma releases my collar, immediately turning away and walking to the aircraft, picking up her bag on the way. I follow her there, waiting for recognition of my presence again or at least a start of a conversation from the girl, but nothing, so I decide to start one. But unbelievably, when she gathers with everyone and sees me close, trying to start a discussion, she turns to Piccolo and hastily starts one of her own. "Hi there, Piccolo! Are you excited for the trip? Did you know Vegeta's coming with us? I mean, imagine that! I thought that he would've thrown up at the thought of traveling with us, but here he is! Now, why would he care so much as to do such a thing? I think maybe he's growing on us! Don't you think so? But then again he also killed a lot of our own so I don't think we should be too happy. But it's still good to have more people, don't you think so? I mean, if we get attacked, we'll have backup! So how's your day been? Nice weather, right?"

"Er…" The Namekian murmurs. "Which shall I answer first…?" I shoot over to him a nervous glance, trying to signal to him not to respond, and he sends a subtle reply of affirmation. "…Actually, how about you inquire Goku? I'm certain he'd give you more in depth answers regardless." And with that, he opens the door to the aircraft and makes his way inside, slamming it shut after Gohan follows hastily.

I peer at her ardently, watching as Bulma turns to me slowly, her face etched in an expression of confusion and anxiousness. She gasps immediately once she finds me looking back at her with the vigor that I hold and flips away. I click my tongue and come forward, trying to get her attention and ask what's up, but noticing my advancement, she jumps a bit, rips the door to the craft open, and suspended in action, screams "I'll see you inside!" with a slam of the door. I stay there, frozen in mild shock at her continued demeanor and growl a bit.

Something's definitely not right.

Something's definitely not right, and I'm determined to set it straight.

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**BULMA'S POV**

On the inside of the aircraft, I lean against the door, holding my hand against my heart and clutching the fabric, panting slightly. That was close…! But…

I squeeze the handle of my bag with enough avidity that my knuckles go white.

Jesus, his _eyes._

They were so…intense! The stare that he fixated on me caused my legs to turn to jelly and caused my heart to beat a thousand miles per second, just the fire he upheld in those black orbs completely stole the air from my body. It was by far the most fervent gaze I've been bestowed by him, and needless to say, I did _not _expect it. I slump down a bit against the metal door, sighing. "What did I do to deserve this…?"

I feel the metal contraption behind me shake, and I leap off of it with a shriek. The door opens fully, Vegeta and Goku walking in and obviously not giving much thought to where I was residing initially. Goku, who soon notices me standing there, slits his eyes, stepping forward to get my attention with a suspended sentence hung in his mouth already. I feel my heart constrict and shake my head, turning away from the Saiyan and walking further into the aircraft until I reach the control/ residing room, observing from behind me as Goku growls, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

I'm sorry, but this is for you, Goku.

In the room, Piccolo resides in the pilot seat, obviously flummoxed by the controls and giving up fast to attempt to maneuver this machinery. Might I add that we haven't even gotten up off the floor? "Piccolo, I'll take care of that for you. We merely have to take off, and the autopilot will take care of everything else." I state, walking over to the seat and placing my hand on his green epidermis and putting my bag on the floor. I also notice Gohan, whom's residing in the co-pilot seat next to the Namekian, peer at me oddly. I furrow my eyebrow but take no notice to it, thinking kids will be kids. "So let me take care of this, alright?"

"…I really was wrong about you, I suppose…"

"Sorry?" I murmur. Did I just hear what I think he said? "You thought _what _about me?"

"N-Nothing! Just…take the wheel." He mutters, obviously perturbed about my noticing of his subconscious vocalization. I shrug my shoulders.

He jumps out of the seat gracefully, landing with a "clank" onto the metal floor and sauntering away immediately. Gohan, however, remains in his seat, gazing intently at my face, even when I take a seat next to him and strap myself in. "Y-Yes Gohan…? Is there something wrong?" I remark, wondering earnestly what's up. It's not like the boy to stare.

"No…it's just…may I speak to you later?"

I'm slightly taken aback by this. "…Well, certainly! Do you have any specific time or…?"

"Anytime is fine, just soon." He shoots out a small, sad smile towards me and detaches himself from the co-pilot seat. I feel my heart pull a bit, as observing such a pitiful attempt at a grin from the usually cheery boy was something I'm unaccustomed to.

"Hopefully he's alright…" I find myself thinking out loud, shaking my countenance. I observe all the buttons splayed across the control panel, and click the one labeled "speaker". Leaning towards the microphone attached near the pilot seat, I pronounce my message clearly into the auditory device. "Everyone, please get in your designated seats and strap in. I'm taking off soon, and _trust me, _you do _not _want to be unprepared. My lack of understanding of how this ship worked gave me a nice bruise splayed across my ass first thing in the morning the first time I tried it out, so unless you don't want to sit down for a month, I'd advice you to get the hell in here." I hear a small amount of laughter from the inside of the ship, watching as everyone files into the room, sitting on the chairs sprung around and strapping themselves in immediately. I watch as everyone gets ready, soon strapping in myself and get cozy into the chair. "Ready?" I remark?

"…Not quite."

"What are you-" Holding my gasp, I watch as Goku walks over to me and plops down in the co-pilot seat with a thump, making me choke.

"I'll be sitting here." He shoots back to Vegeta and Piccolo, Gohan too preoccupied with looking out the window to focus on anything, Goku not even bothering to ask me about whether or not he's allowed to sit next to me or not.

Are…are you serious…?!

"And you certainly wouldn't have a problem with it, now would you Bulma?" I freeze.

"Uh…no, I don't." I shrug my shoulders, trying to act nonchalant. "J-Just strap in, okay?"

He smiles angrily, making me snap my head away immediately. "Whatever you say." I swallow my saliva, looking down at the buttons to distract myself away from the blistering stare that the man's fixated on me.

"Um…G-Get ready for take off, everyone!"

"I'm sure you're ready to take something else off!"

"Shut up Vegeta! That was bad, even for you!" I snap, leaning over the control panel and hovering my hand over the large red button clearly labeled 'Take Off'. "Ready?" I shoot back, double-checking if everyone's strapped in properly as to avoid any strenuous injuries.

"Aye." Come the rest.

"Let's go." I slam my hand down on the massive button, feeling as the aircraft immediately jolts beneath us and leaps in the air. Everyone in the ship lets out a strangled yelp as the metal contraption gives out a groan of effort, then suddenly jerks upwards abruptly.

"_What is your destination?"_

"Could we give you an estimate?"

"_Certainly, daughter of my master."_

Whoa, that's pretty responsive. Seems like father did a good job. "Then bring us to the mountains near Muscle Tower."

"_As you wish."_

And with a hum of affirmation, the contraption, which I soon find out is named Cindy (Brilliance.) sets off for our destination.

* * *

"Are you guys _still _going at it?" I murmur over to Vegeta, residing in the "living room" of the aircraft as the ship flies of on autopilot. Piccolo and Vegeta are having a mental battle on the metal ground and are sweating like pigs, as they've been doing this for an hour and a half straight. I guess it must take quite the strain on the body, due to the perspiration surrounding them, but it's stinking up the place. I pinch my nose in disgust, leaning back on the couch I'm residing on. Goku, whom lies on the couch across from me, sleeps silently.

"Shut up, woman." Piccolo snaps. "We're trying to focus and use our time wisely, unlike you or the monkey."

"Well then!" I hiss. "There are better ways to say that, thank-you-very-much!" I fold my hands across my chest, huffing.

"You're distracting me." The Namekian bites out. "Shut._ Up_."

I sigh, bringing my hands to the side of my body, scratching at the couch in an attempt to do _something _as Piccolo goes back to the battle_. "_Jesus, you only have to tell me once."

This is rather boring.

We've been in the aircraft for 2 hours now, and literally no one has done a single thing to engage me in _anything. _Goku crashed immediately on the couch, Piccolo and Vegeta started this "mental battle" thingy, and Gohan just…disappeared. Like, literally.

On the topic of the boy, he's been acting rather odd. I mean, I don't see him much, but since a week ago, where Goku and Chi-Chi had their blow up, he's been…anxious. Suspicious. Quiet.

And while he might be smart and tends to contemplate things, it's not like him to _never _include himself in a conversation, nor to run up to his room once he gets home from _whatever _he does. By the way, I got this information from Goku on the rare occasion I would actually allow myself to talk to him. It seems like his family is taking this whole issue strongly as well.

I sigh again, making Vegeta quickly glance over to me. I shake my head with a quick smile, and the Saiyan scoffs, going back to his fight. I've really got myself into a sticky situation, huh? I've already decided to push _him_ away, so I can't go back now. But it just makes me…rather depressed that I can't interact with Goku the way I'm used to. While I know this is what I need to do, it still makes my heart twinge when I see the man try to reach out to me. I peer over to his handsome sleeping form, his mouth slightly open, not producing the snore I'm used to.

It seems as if he's also getting pretty frustrated with me.

I mean, this has only been going on for a week, and already I feel the man's temper and exasperation from over here, through his sleep. He's tried countless times to just _get _to me, and I've pushed him away. Outside the aircraft was a perfect example, not to mention when he sat next to me during take off. As soon as autopilot was activated, the man reached out and tried to grab me, already sensing that I would try to flee, but I succeeded in swatting his hand away. Then, I ended up scrambling over my seat and frantically running out to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I could hear Goku's enervated groan from within the metal sheets.

I just…He can't…

…

Stop it, Bulma.

Don't dwell on these things.

Goku suddenly wakes up from his sleep, groaning with exhaustion laced in his voice despite his nap for two hours, making me look over at him out of habit. His eyes immediately lock on to mine, making me gasp a little bit, and as soon as we both make eye contact he leans upwards, a determined gleam once more in his orbs.

Shit.

I stand up from the couch and quickly scurry away from Goku and into the metal corridor, but he isn't having it. Without giving me time to yelp, the Saiyan leaps of the couch, shoots down the hallway, grabs my wrist, and preventing me from moving, slams me into the wall.

My heart leaps out of its threshold as Goku turns me around to face him. "Again, Bulma?" He gazes down at my face. "You've been doing this for a week, and I'm a bit tired of it."

"Let go of me." I purposefully ignore his statement.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." I shake my head.

"Nothing is wrong, Goku." I pull my hand a bit, but he doesn't budge.

"Don't give me that, Bulma. You've been-"

"Let…" I charge up ki to my arm, and when deducing that I have enough power to escape if Goku's surprised, rip my wrist out of his large hand. "…go of me! There's nothing wrong, okay?! I'm fine!" I snap. However, guilt overcomes me when I see Goku's features fill up with mild hurt. When I turn around to leave before the situation gets worse, a vice grip is soon situated on my wrist again. "Are you serious?!" I snap.

"Is this something to do with…the kiss on the forehead, Bulma? Is that it?!" My heart jumps, remembering that moment in its entirety.

"No…! No, it's j-just…" I catch myself before I spew out any reasons or answers. "I mean, j-just…go, okay! Just leave me alone…!"

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Because nothing is wrong, Goku!" He turns me around to face him again.

"You're lying." He calls.

"…Bullshit." I hiss back, clenching my necklace which hums due to the close proximity of the radars. "Nothing's wrong, Goku."

"You know what…? _Whatever you say, Bulma_." Uncharacteristically of Goku, he drops my hand and our argument with it, turns away and stomps back to the couch, cascading down with an angry thud and staring out the window with a stoic look in his eyes. I bite my lip, feeling the remorse for my actions but not regretting them.

You don't see it now, Goku, but I'm helping you.

I promise.

* * *

**GOKU'S POV**

Leaning on the window still of the aircraft, I hiss to myself in anger.

What's Bulma problem?!

I mean…her words…what she said before on _that day. _They just echo in my head, seemingly to make me understand what conspiring between us, but it's just…

Blank.

_"This me finally understanding what I must do to make sure your family is as happy as possible. This is me, knowing my duty as your best friend."_

What did she mean by that? What _duty _could she possibly hold that results from being my best friend? Was she talking about the training? Is it her duty to continue developing her strength as to no longer be a nuisance? Does she think that because I'm her best friend, she needs to compare to me in strength?

"Or…could it have something to do with our relationship…?" I find myself murmuring.

Okay, I agree. I'm a beginner when it comes to breaking down and understanding what a person's words mean; especially if the bonds between us are as thin as a string but as strong as iron, but it can go either way. Bulma could've meant anything by those words.

But I still don't understand why she's so…hesitant around me. She says nothing is wrong, and that merely adds to my suspicion. What in our conversation before…on that night…signaled such a change in her?

_ "If there's a possibility, even if it's a small one, that you love Chi-Chi, then there's no way I can't be so selfish and come between your relationship with her…"_

What would my relationship with Chi-Chi have anything to do with how Bulma regards me? "We're friends, are we not?" I subconsciously mutter. Marriage shouldn't change a thing about that. And how could she come in between Chi-Chi and I? Sure, we've had our arguments about the girl, but it's not _Bulma's _fault. "I hope she's not taking it that way…"

_"What, so you have to monitor me to avoid incurring the wrath of Chi-Chi?! Are you-"_

_ "No, Goku! I need to monitor myself so__** you **__don't experience it! This is all for __**you,**__ do you understand?!"_

What is all for me, goddamnit? What is she doing?! It's frustrating, having the answer right under my nose, but it scrapes my knowledge barely. I _know _I should understand but I _don't. "…_And it's _killing me." _The words slip from my mouth but I don't pay attention to it.

Is she ignoring me…is she acting so oddly for _my _sake? I don't understand how this whole thing would solve any of my issues, and frankly, I'm missing and longing for Bulma's carefree attitude, for her smile and her laughs to echo out once more around me. "I'll do anything to get her back…"

"Kakarot, what's with the consistent mumbling?" I snap my head down to stare at Vegeta, whom just finished his mental battle with Piccolo. The Namekian also resides next to him, glaring at me.

"Nothing, just…" Vegeta's eyes search my face for an answer, so there's no point lying to him. "I'm having some problems with a certain female." I mention to the direction where Bulma left in, leaving the men sighing and nodding in agreement.

"I could hear your conversation through our battle." Piccolo mutters. "It seems like you're getting frustrated, Goku." Vegeta clicks his tongue at the use of my name with such common protocol. Yeah, Piccolo and I have gotten pretty close since this whole "Trunks" issue has come along.

The Saiyan remarks his observations. "That woman is one deserving of the term 'hardheaded'." I open my mouth to snap back at Vegeta, but his next sentence stops that from happening. "But she has a weakness for you, Kakarot. I comprehend that you're a stupid moron, but even you should've realized this after two straight months of interacting with her."

I click my tongue, suddenly fascinated in the moving clouds from outside the window. "I'm sure you've been able to tell, just…something hasn't been right with her. She's fine with everyone, but when it comes to me, she…" I sigh, shaking my head. "She's avoidant. Maybe it's because she wants to develop her skills before she talks to me again. Maybe it's something to do with her inferiority complex."

Piccolo looks and Vegeta and shoots him a caustic glance and the Saiyan nods, crossing his arms across his chest. They both turn and look at me.

"You're an idiot."

"Oh _come on! _It wasn't _that _bad of an idea!" I break out exasperatedly.

"It was." Vegeta bites out. "And honestly Kakarot, I can't even consider you a rival if you don't understand the heart of one woman."

"W-what?! What do you mean I don't understand Bulma's heart?! What do you know that I don't?!"

"Well…" Piccolo looks over to Vegeta and sighs, shaking his head. "You need to process what's happening from your own account, Goku. It's quite obvious what is at work, but…for your sake, you must figure this problematic situation yourself."

"Seriously? I mean, she's one of my best friends…" Both Piccolo and Vegeta groan. I ignore them. "…so I don't want to lose her friendship you know? And that seems to be the only thing I'm doing." I sigh, throwing my hands to the side. "Just…what do I do?"

"Be firm." Vegeta replies. Piccolo smacks him on the head.

"Really?" I tilt my countenance.

"Of course not!" The Namekian bites out. "I've been with the girl for half the time you have, Goku, and even _I _comprehend that that's a horrid idea!"

"Then what do I do? How do I find out why she's ignoring me?"

Vegeta sighs. "Kakarot, I've deduced that you're hopeless."

I slit my eyes, growling. "How about telling me _why_ I'm hopeless instead of just sitting there and giving me vague half-answers, eh?"

They both look slight taken aback by my snap. "The girl really is rubbing off on you, eh?" Piccolo observes. I roll my eyes as they beat around the bush once more. Piccolo takes notice of this. "You _must _figure this out yourself. You won't understand if we say it."

I slump off the couch and sink to the floor, groaning. "Why did you guys even attempt to talk to me about this?"

"Well frankly…" Piccolo clicks his tongue, as if in disbelief he's about to say what's forming on his mouth. "Your change in attitude has been nothing short of disturbing, Goku. You've been furious countless times more in these past two weeks then you have been in a whole year, you're shrinking away from conversations I'd usually see you partake in, you're actually _thinking…_something's wrong with the girl just as something's wrong with you." I blow out some air, tiring of this.

"It's only been a week since she started this." I sough.

"Incorrect." Vegeta suddenly springs to life. I slit my eyes at him. "It's _already _been a week. You're letting this drag on for way too long, Kakarot." I clench my hands together. "If you want to figure out what's wrong with her, then you must be firm." I glance over at Piccolo, finding the Namekian awfully content with the suggestion despite his initial disagreement. I whip my eyes back to the other Saiyan. "I mean…don't go in there and slam her against a wall or some other ridiculous action that you'd be prone to doing…" I bite my lip. Whoops. "But take action if it gets to be too much. You can't let the woman win if it's based on something ridiculous."

"And even if you don't take complete action…at least show her that you mean business." Piccolo adds.

I see Gohan pass by hastily, dragging Bulma with him and scurry over across the hallway leading to the different rooms. "Mean business, huh?" I stand up from the ground and take a step towards the hallways as I smell the scent of strawberries waver throughout the area and take it in, following it. Determined, I let a small growl escape from my lips.

"What're you doing?" Piccolo calls as I continue walking down the room and into the corridor.

"…Preparing her."

* * *

**BULMA'S POV, 2 MINUTES BEFORE**

I watch as Goku stares out the window, murmuring things to himself and sigh to myself.

Jesus, why is this so hard? I've ignored countless men whom I've become infatuated with for years, and all of a sudden I find myself struggling with a week with one guy. Granted, I've fallen head over heels for this one, but it just…

My body pleads to be with him. My heart begs me to give up this stratagem. But…

Peering at the man's face, clenched with slight anger and confusion, I throw my hand up and place it across my forehead as a sudden headache overwhelms me. When he slumps to the floor, I find my self cringing.

He doesn't deserve the shit that Chi-Chi gives him. It's that simple.

And yet the method for preventing this is harder then building any contraption I've ever taken on, harder then watching friends die in battle, harder then running 25 miles on the first day of training…harder then _anything _I've ever done before. In the classic "heart" vs. "mind" struggle, what if there wasn't a winner? What if both sides had equal influences on a person?

Then you'd end up with me.

Suddenly ripping me out of my thoughts, my hand is grabbed by a smaller one, whose touch is soft and gentlemanly, and I look down at Gohan's frowning countenance. "Can we talk now?" He murmurs, avoiding my eyes like they're the plague.

"…Sure thing." I attempt to smile, letting the boy drag me where he wants. We make our way down the hallway, passing countless doors where we reach one already opened. Before we enter, Gohan peers back at me, jumping slightly when he sees my eyes meet his. I tilt my head at his taciturn.

"Come on." He murmurs, whipping his head to the front, hurrying inside the dark room and slamming the door once I step inside. I saunter over to one of the beds in the room (It's our sleeping area.) and plop down on the covers, oscillating my legs back and forth, waiting for the boy to detach his ear from the door in his attempt to make sure no one's near us.

Once confirming the obviation from the possibility of someone walking in on us, he comes forward and sits in front of me on the metal floor, making me click my tongue. I reach a hand forward, and he stares at it for a bit before locking his fingers in mine. I pull him up and pat at the bed next to me with a mirthful grin. The boy can't help but break out into a small smile and places his rear next to mine. I wait for him to expose his clandestinity, looking around the dim room, in which the lights are switched off and the only illumination comes from the muffled luminescence of the sun from behind the curtains.

"So…I…uh…" He hesitates. "I don't know if…I can…"

"You can tell me anything, Gohan. I'm here for you." I reassure him. "Your secret is safe with me. I promise."

"…Thank you…" Gohan looks down at the bed, and I fish a hand under his chin and pull his countenance up.

"Eye contact." I chuckle. "I don't bite."

He smiles meekly, keeping his eyes locked onto mine, regretted knowledge swimming in the dark orbs. "My…" He starts, and I have to wrench in closer to hear him. "My father and my mother have been fighting a lot, Miss. Bulma." I tilt my head, my smile becoming sad before dropping off my face altogether. "And it's been getting…out of control. Even dad is getting angry and screaming. He never screams."

I peer at the boy's face and unintentionally squeeze at the covers beneath me. "I…I know, Gohan. Trust me, I know more then you could ever understand."

"But Miss Bulma… He…He only screams when your name comes up." My breath hitches. Don't tell me…"He only yells when mom insults you, which she's been doing a lot, as of late. And it's just…" His eyes tear up, and I widen mine. "It's so hard…! Seeing the two people I love go at it because of another person I love…!" He reaches his hand over to mine, squeezing my limb. I feel a small crack from the boy's ridiculous strength but take it for the sake of the kid. "And the things mom says about you…it makes me cry sometimes…!" His first tear slips down his eyes. "How…how can someone say such horrible things about one of her closest friends…?!"

I stroke the boy's hair comfortingly, trying to calm myself before_ I_ start to cry, and he comes forward and latches his arms around my waist. "I'm sure your mom was just angry, Gohan. I'm sure she-"

"But it doesn't matter!" He interrupts me immediately, wailing a bit in my stomach. My heart wrenches seeing the boy in this condition. "I just…how can she call you worthless when she hasn't done anything herself?! How can she be so cruel to a person whom she dined with 8 days ago?!" '_Goku said the same thing' _I think hastily, continuing my strokes. "I know she's my mother, and I know I should love her, but…!" He stops himself, and breaks out in sobs. I wrap my hands around the boy, pulling him into me and feeling him clench my shirt in desperation.

"There, there…" I find myself muttering, rubbing his back in a circular motion and cooing him with a soft hum. "Some things that she said I can understand, Gohan. Don't fret over it too much, alright? Your mom is a really nice person. She only gets mad when there's reason behind it." He cries a bit more. I can't imagine how much the boy has gone through. He's merely 6, 7 years, and yet he sees his parents fight and bicker everyday, the intensity of the banters increasing because of one of his dad's closest friends was added into the equation. "Your mother loves you a lot, Gohan. She loves both you and your father a lot. She just has…" I tilt my head to the side. "…a very…uh…different way of showing it. And it's alright! Your father and your mother are getting along well! Even with me!" Well…

Lie.

Lie.

Oh, and not to mention…!

Lie.

But it's not like I can afford to tell him the truth. He doesn't need this extra stress in his life. The poor boy is attempting to take this situation into his own hands, and it's obviously not having a good effect on him. Not to mention Goku's change of demeanor with both Chi-Chi and during his everyday activity…then this sudden break out by the boy…

Gohan must be nearing his limit mentally.

So not only have I warped Goku and Chi-Chi's lives, I've caused a 7-year-old boy to cry his heart out.

"I just wish…!" He continues on, staining my shirt with tears and mucus.

"I just wish you were my mother!"

I freeze.

* * *

**GOKU'S POV**

"_I'm…mother…just angry Gohan. I'm…she…"_

"_But it doesn't matter! I…how…she call you…she hasn't…anything…! I know…my mother, and…know….should love…but…!" _I listen into the conversation as much as I can, leaning against the metal door preventing me from reaching the two of them and perking my ears at every little detail I can salvage.

I hear a small murmur from Gohan and the ruffling of clothes, then Bulma's voice rings out. I strain in closer and tune my hearing to the max, even using Bulma's technique, which I've been training for a little but I still can't get down exactly, and apply some ki around my ears to boost the auditory organ's efficiency. "_There, there…Some things that Chi-Chi said I can understand, Gohan_." Are you _serious?! _She's still going on about that? Does Bulma not realize that she's _nothing _of what Chi-Chi said?! _"Don't fret over it too much, alright? Your mom is a really nice person, She only gets mad when there's reason behind it."_ Really?

_Really?!_

Bulma, what are you saying?! You know more then the next person how cruel and mean Chi-Chi is to, not _only_ you but definitely especially, everyone in the group! Why are you feeding the boy lies about his own mother?!

_"Your mother loves you a lot, Gohan. She loves both you and your father. She just has…" _She just has what? Thinking of a fib to brew up? Come on Bulma. _"…a very…uh…different way of showing it_."

…

Subtly put.

Except it's a lie.

_"And it's alright! Your father and your mother are getting along well! Even with me!" _I resist the urge to slam my hand against the door and smash it down. Even _my _patience is getting tried.

"_I just wish…" _Cries my son. "_I just wish you were my mother!" _I perk my ears at this, leaning in further to the door. _"If you were my mom, then you and dad would never fight! Dad would be much happier_ _and would actually enjoy marriage!"_

_ …_What the boy's saying is true.

_"He loves you, Miss Bulma! He loves you more then any of his other friends!" _I hear Bulma shudder from out here. _"He talks so well about you, he always says, "Gohan, you should find a girl like Bulma!" Never has he said "Your mom is the perfect woman!" _Perhaps Gohan can talk some sense into Bulma! "_He's…He's not happy with mom! I know I shouldn't say this, but it's true! I just…I just want what's best for him…! I-I love him…he's my father, Miss Bulma!" _There's a slight pause. I wait until Gohan starts again. _"And __**you're**__ what's best for him! You're his sanctuary!"_

Well…I couldn't have said it any better.

Bulma, for Kami's sake, _please _listen to him. Please, for the love of god, take what Gohan's saying and apply it to your own beliefs. It's only been a week and I'm longing after your smile and your normal attitude. Please listen to him.

Please.

It takes a long while for Bulma to respond, each second passing in congruence to my rising heartbeat. I lick my lips in suspense.

_"Your father and I…we…"_

* * *

**BULMA'S POV**

"…And _you're _what's best for him! You're his sanctuary!" I stroke the boy a couple more times on the head, calming him down and reeling a bit from his words.

He says that about me? He says that Gohan should find a woman like…_me?! _When? How recently?! And what about the sanctuary part? I'm…Am I that valuable to Goku?! Is what the boy's saying true? Goku has said _many _times that I'm the closest friend to him, but never to the point where he _needs _me. Is this whole problem also affecting Goku massively?

I stroke the boy's black hair, an ever-constant reminder of whom this child actually belongs to.

It…It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter who's better or who's not. Goku can divorce Chi-Chi anytime if he wanted to, and he didn't. They're still together, they still have a family, they still have a home and a steady life. Why do I keep…

Why does my drive faltering then?

Stay with it, Bulma! Think! This is not about you!

This is to make sure that your best friend has a grounded, happy, ebullient life. This is not to let your love grow and to wrap your arms around _his _sturdy back. Goku has enough problems…! The last thing you want to do is abet him into making the wrong decisions and fuck his life up even more.

Just keep saying that.

Just keep saying that and it'll be alright.

We sit there for a good 2 minutes, me just continuing to run my fingers through his hair, and Gohan settling in the curves of my body before I finally respond. "Your father and I…we're having…" I think of a way to put it. "…a complicated issue right now. We fight too." He sniffles, nudging his head deeper into my torso. "Although I know Chi-Chi might not be perfect…she loves you, Gohan. She loves both you and your father dearly, and I can't compete with her when it comes to who will be a better mother." I bite my lip in an anguished smile. "Besides…I'm not a mother figure. I'm…I'm irresponsible and non-reliable." I swallow my saliva, quelling my tears. The boy deserves to know this. "Your mom is strong and willful. She's what the family needs, not me-"

"I disagree, Bulma."

"What…?"

I whip my eyes up to the front of the room with a gasp, where the door lies open and a tall muscular figure stands in the darkness. However, even with the restricted visibility, the silhouette of his body and voice are both clearly identifiable.

Why is he here…?

The metal door is smashed shut.

"D-Daddy…"

"You would make 10 times a better woman then Chi-Chi, Bulma. I know that now." Goku immediately brings out, walking forward. I shake my head, detaching my limbs from around Gohan and place the boy to the side. "Stop beating yourself down, or I swear to _god_ I'll snap."

"How much did you hear?!" I sibilate.

"_More _then enough. Now mind telling me what this all means?" He bites out. "Chi-Chi? A better woman? Are you oblivious to everything that I've been saying?!"

I've…I've never seen the man this angry…and it's making me shiver.

"Sorry Gohan, I have to leave." I whisper to the boy. Jesus _Christ, _I knew he'd be rather desperate, but this is literally a week after I started this whole thing! I stand up from the bed, sauntering strong towards the door and swooping under the man's arms. "Goku, we both know that everything I said was true, so I think I'm just going to end this conversation right now."

As soon as my fingertips makes contact with the hatch, Goku's hand, like before, grips my wrist powerfully and whips me around, this time not giving me any lee-way to escape. He pulls me in so that my ear is next to his mouth and situates a fine grip on my body, my hands pressing against his torso and his arms around my waist in a death lock. I struggle, trying to squirm out of his grasp, but the Saiyan's grip is unbreakable. He leans down close, whispering in my ear with a growl. "I'm not going to fix this now with Gohan in the room, so consider yourself lucky that you'll be able to uphold this act of yours for a bit longer." I shiver as his hot breath comes in contact with my lobe. He…he's so…so _intimidating…! _Is this really _Goku…?!_ "But as soon as we touch ground, Bulma, prepare yourself, because I'm not giving up. I'm not giving you up nor the way you used to be, and trust me, I'll strive relentlessly to get you back _whether you like it or not_."

With that, he lets go of me.

I take this opportunity to scramble up to the door and wrench it open. Frantically, I throw myself out of the room and run to the bathroom, stumbling in my haste along the way.

Smashing the sanitary door open and then shut, I collapse down exasperatedly on the toilet in shock, throwing my hands around my head. "What the hell…what the hell was _that?"_ I shake my head, my cheeks exploding in a full-blown blush and my heart reeling. I feel my heartbeat go spasmodic as my somewhat taciturn attitude with Goku bites me back in the butt, and hard.

His face, clenched in anger at my words, furious and showing it…

His eyes, slit in annoyance and exploding with fury, an unquenchable fire smoldering within the darkness.

His arms, holding me still, trapping me with no way out as if to prove that he can influence me anyway he wants.

His mouth, uttering such…such intimidating, dominating, and possessive words…

"_But as soon as we touch ground, Bulma, prepare yourself, because I'm not giving up. I'm not giving you up nor the way you used to be, and trust me, I'll strive relentlessly to get you back __**whether you like it or not**__."_

Whether I like it or not, huh?

I laugh bitterly, clenching my hands together hard enough to draw blood, holding my composure on the thin line of strength I'm able muster. "Oh, how _wonderful _my life's becoming!" I mordantly bellow out. "If only my heart wasn't so obstinate…so obstreperous…" Once more, a caustic, bitter chuckle erupts from my lips.

"Prepare myself, huh? How _ironic_." I feel some tears gather up at the lids of my eyes, and quickly wipe them away. "To think the person who said that to me is the one spiraling me down into a state of chaos. To think that the person who said that to me is the man who's forcing me to murder my heart…forcing me to push away my feelings for the sake of my love…!" I slam my hand against the wall, leaving a small dent in the metal lining.

"How can you tell me "Prepare yourself" when you're the one making me die under my skin?!"

* * *

**;_; **


End file.
